The Connecticut labor press., 1919-06-21
By CHESTER M. WRIGHT.

(Special to Connecticut Labor Press.)
 Atlantic City, June 18.-The conven- ton of the American Federation of La Dor today disposed of some of the most troublesome matters that are likely to come before it.
 Here are the chief issues acted upon
 Unanimous vote i'll favor of self-de- termination for Ireland.
 A demand that the United States withdraw American troops from Rus- sian soil, as soon as convenient and a derial of recognition to the Soviet gov ernment of that country. ,
 Repudiation of the One Big Union propaganda on the Pacific roast.
 Demand for a new trial for Thomas I. Mooney and his associates, together with repudiation of the plan for a general strike in his behalf.
 Dictatorship of the proletariat" was put to sleep with bang. Soviet de lenders put up rather mediocre fight but were swept into easy defeat by the vast majority committed to sanity and democracy. The action taken provides that America will recognize no govern ment not set up by the people and giv- ing recognition to all elements in Rus sian society.
 So is the soviet question settled in the ranks of AmericaE labor. The same principle held good in the 70. B. u.'' discussion and found expression i'll a slightly different form in the Mooney case debate American Labor voted strong to stand by tried principles ot democratic progress. BolsheVlsnl and all other. fantastic projects get small comfort here. The Bo1shevik question L.0.,rrl,H kaforn 3ha HnnUa1t1Af1 hN report on three resolutions dealing with the recognition of the Soviet govern ment of Russia and demanding with drawal of American troops in Russia, These are Resolution 9. urging The feeding of the starving population of Russia; No. 85, asking withdrawal of troops in Russia, and No. 1So, asking recognition of the Soviet Republic"
 The Resolutions Committee offered the following resolution covering both points:
 Resolved, that this. convention, ex- press itsswell-consfdefeA c6avictio fthat the United States Government should withdraw all American troops from Russian soil at the earliest possible moment, and be it further
 Resolved, that this convention re fuse its endorsement of the Soviet government of Russia or any other form of government in that country until the peoples of Russia, through a constitu- etr or other form of national assembly shall have established truly democratic form of government"
 "The outstanding fact" said Chair man Frey 'is' that the Soviet govern ment has prohibited and prevented 8 popular election or constituent assem- b1y for Russia. Ireland has expressed her desires in a popular election. RIs- sia never has,"
 Would you give the same opport1n- ity to Belgium?" demanded Andrew Furuseth.
 Belgium has a duly constituted method of expressing the popular de sires," said Mir Frey.
 But has it?" demanded Furuseth.
 A delegate-"Can anybody get q popular election in war times?" Max Hayes (Cleveland) "I was in favor of the Kerensky government but it has fallen, and I think that if is fool ish now for us to define what form o1 when the Russians can't seem to do ii themselves. The best we can do is tc send food and material support to the starving workers whether under Bol- shevik or Kolchak control"
 Charles C. Shay (Theatrica1 Stage Employees): T think it is time we stopped this discussion. There's lots ot work to do here. Let's stop beine pro, Irish, pro-Jewish and pro-Russian. Let's be pro- American for a time"
 The discussion ended suddenly with adoption of the committees report quoted above Vote was by aye and nay and was landslide against Bolshevi>m
 The debate on the committees rejec- ton of the Mooney general strike was acrimonious, as was anticipated. Chair. man John P. Frey, of the Resolution: Committee, pressed hard by the attacks of the Pacific coast radicals, finally charged on the floor of the convention that the Federation officials had prooi that funds collected for Moouey's de fense from trade unionists had beer used by the International Workers De fense League to continue its attacks upon the personnel and methods of the American Federation of Labor.
 We have the evidence" he charged consisting of photographic copies oi the endorsement of checks, that funds donated for the defense of Tom Moo ney were used to defray railroad fares of delegates to the Chicago convention of the International Workers Defense League.
 ''I think it is time to call halt to g condition in which the moneys collected from members of the American Fed eration of Labor can be and are being used to villify the American Fedora ton. am certainly opposed to the col, lection of funds in this manner, and tc its administration by men who canno by any stretch of the imagination bf said to have the welfare of the Amer ican Federation of Labor at heart"
 w. D. Patterson, president of the Mooney Defense League, was granted 10 mimutes' time ir order to defend the league, He alleged that Mooney would have been hanged were it not for the formation of this organization Jame: A. Duncan, of Seattle, launched into, { bitter denunciation of the attitude ot President Gompers and other Fedora tion officials toward the Seattle strike and the Mooney defense committee Tulius Deutelbaum, representing the Detroit central body, said the genera strike would be called in Detroit despite the antagonism of the Federation oi action of the convention.