The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-02-28
CENTRAL LABOR
BODY TO OPPOSE
GENERAL STRIKE
No Gain to be Had by Strik-
ing, Says Richmond Labor
Leader.

Central Labor Council. at It's regu-
Lar meeting Thursday night went on
record As opposed to q strike In Rich
mond. either to free Thomas Mooney
or to better conditions locally. Mfm-
bers said that the labor situatio q In
Richmond is better today as q direct
result of labor agitation.
Robert Graham. acting secretary IN
the absence Of L. c. Harrison, said
that there Is scarcely a man In the
Central Labor body who has not had
an increase In wages In the past ten
months. He stated that this could
never have been done had 1t not been
for the agitation of organized labor.
Men with no Jobs and no money can
not go out on q strike and hold It,
said Mr.. Graham. Conditions In labor
are becoming more satisfactory every
day, he said.
I'VE are better OF in the United
State than any other country on the
GLOBE" said Graham, "and we should
not lose sight of this fact. A general
strike to free Mooney does not seem
sound"
Not Mooney Congress.
Mr.. Graham. who was delegate to
the Central Labor congress held in
Chicago in January, said that he BE-
lieved that that congress- was not call
ed to free Mooney but that It was
called to spread Bolshevism and So
cialism and discredit the American
Federation OF Labor and Samuel
Gompers.
He said he agreed with Mr. Comp
ers that general strike would be dis
astrous to the gains made by labor
through their many years Of work.
A communication from the United
States department of labor warned
against any radical action, stating that
general strikes are not part OF the
reconstruction program, because dur
ing that time most industries can sus-
pend their work
Decision Promised Soon
The communication said decision OF
the section of the War Labor Board
which has the Richmond case. has
been delayed because Of the inability
OF the manufacturers representative
to attend to duties. However, the de-
cision is forthcoming soon.
In reply to question as to who
would enforce the decision Mr.. Ora.
ham said the board itself would do So
He said that II the decision had been
made just after the armistice had been
signed the government would have
had to resort to military action to
enforce the decision because Of the
chaotic conditions, but at this time
the labor organization Is strong enough
to be used as a medium for the gov
eminent.
Although the Central Labor Council
opposes going on strike to free
Mooney, 1t passed motion to endorse
the first two paragraphs of the Moon
ey resolution, which state that en-
deavors will be made to get remedial
legislation in California and to save
Mooney through federal Intervention
6urIeson Criticised
Several communications were read
One from Representative J. N. Knapp
stated that the garnishee bill was not
directed against the workingman.
Robert Graham was made chairman
of the committee to arrange for q
dance to be given Easter Monday b,
the Central Labor Council.
John Puthoff and Roy Steele were
named committee to write an article
for a weekly periodical formulatins
the views Of Central Labor Council OF
the local labor situation.
An appeal from the internationa
organization of letter carriers was re
ceived asking that the council worl