New-York tribune., 1919-05-18
Labor Men of England Re-
sent Such Inference, That
Came to Them Credited
to an A. F. of L. Official
To Come Here in August
Called Here by New York
ers to Explain Political
Conditions i'm His Country
NcW York Tribune
European Bureau


LONDON, May 17.-British labor re-
sents statement, credited to Vice
President Duncan, of the American
Federation of Labor, to-day, that Ar
thur Henderson is going to America
as an unlimited guest The Tribune
correspondent to-day was shown a let
ter which the British labor leader re-
received from "the American Labor
Party of Greater New York." asking
MIR Henderson to come and explain
the Labor party's programme and meth
DDS Of working.
The last meeting of the British labor
executive committee considered the in
vltation and gave Henderson full au-
thority to accept it. He probably will
sail the second week Of August, re-
turning before the international labor
conference in Geneva in February,
1920.
just how the vice president of the
American Federation of Labor can ac-
cuse Henderson of meddling or "but-
ting into" American labor affairs, when
Samuel Gompers several times visited
England for the avowed purpose of in
terfering with British labor organiza-
tions--in fact, with the hope of over
throwing Henderson himself--is not
clear to labor people here.
Had Many Invitations
The charge that Henderson has not
been invited is disprovcd by the latter
mentioned above, but the American
Federation of Labor is expected to
make clear its relations with the New
York organization sending the invita-
ton, for Henderson has received many
other invitations. This is the first he
has considered accepting, because it
directly asks him to come in his ca
pacity of political labor leader
The american Labor Party of
Greater New York" does not know
whether Arthur Henderson, the British
labor leader, is coming to America or
not. Its invitation was extended to
him q month ago.
"We have as yet had no reply from
Mr.. Henderson," said Ernest Boehm,
secretarytreasur Of the party, yes
terday. "lf he comes as our guest we
will hold meetings in New York City
and elsewhere, if possible, at which
we will expect to hear British labor
plans discussed. We will try to work
with the American Federation of La
Dor and other labor organizations, but
l don't know whether Mr.. Gompers
would be willing to join"
The Party's Membership
According to Mr.. Boehm the "Ameri-
can Labor Party of Greater New York"
has membership running into the
hundreds of thousands 1t was organ
lied in January, 1919, and in the metro
politan district alone includes the
Central Federated Union Of New York
City, the Central Labor Union of
Brooklyn, the Women's Trade Union
League and the United Hebrew Trades
Other outside organizations, he said,
also are affiliated
The party's programme is based upon
that of the English labor party, calling
upon labor to combine to elect labor
ing men to Office, so that labor lcgisla
tion can be adopted and perfected.
In New York City the party's central
committee Of twenty-six members
meets every Wednesday evening at 80
Union Square, together with two non
voting representative of the Soldiers,
Sailors and Marines Protective Asso-
citation.
William Kohn Is President
The party's officers are: President,
William Kohn, 72O Lexington Avenue;
vicc-p president, E. l. Hannah, 249 East
Fifty seventh Street; secretary treas
urer. E4nest Boehm; general organizer,
T. NJ. Daily, 32 Union Square.
Friends of James Duncan denied yes
terday that on any occasion he had
said Mr.. Henderson was coming to
butt in" or interfere in American
labor affairs. Mr.. Duncan LETT early
in the day for his homo in Quincy,
Mass.
What Mr.. Duncan said" explained
one of these was that he did not be-
lieve Henderson was coming here to
butt in, quite a different proposition
from that which seems to have been
cabled London"
The statement that Mr.. Gompers had
interfered in purely British affairs
while in England was denied by this
labor leader.