Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-06-19
Well Done F. Of 1.

Well Done F. Of 1.
We rejoice in the common sense
Americanism of the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor as evidenced by ac-
ton of its delegation. Tuesday. in
convention at Atlantic City. on sew
eral specific issues. Much bitterness
developed but a spirit Of justice and
fair play prevailed that will strength
en- the whole organization in the
public confidence.
In the first place a resolution re.
fusing to endorse the general strike
called for July as a protest against
the Imprisonment Of Thomas ].
Mooney. and censuring the Mooney
defense committee for alleged ef-
forts to disrupt the American Fed
Grafton of Labor
Again the delegation refused to
endorse recognition Of soviet Rus
sia. but urging recognition by the
United States Of the existing Irish
republic"
And not least Of all was rejection
by the convention Of a proposal to
change American Labor Day from
the arst Monday in September to
May /. AS a bond Of affection to
unite all the world Of labor into uni
versal brotherhood" President of the
Federation Gompers led the opposi-
. ton. He said American Labor Day
Was day for American labor and
not "a political event" as it is in
Europe.
Laws that operate over the rest Of
- must be respected by any organ
l1ation. whether Of labor or Of cap
tailor any other. The heart Of one
hundred millions has been embittered
toward an organization Of perhaps
three millions because it was even
proposed to beat down the law and
eur court system Of law support and
enforcement. by the weight Of num-
eers and the power Of might to en-
force an unjust demand by inflicting
hardship upon the masses.
Mooney passed to his just punish
Uent, as a warning to him and to
ethers like him who violate the law,
and az any other person living under
our laws must have passed. Is the
law to be imperative because a thug
Or Q murderer or a seditionist is q
Da1d member Of labor orsaniza.
4ion. any more than it would be IL he
were . soldier or a sailor or a church
member? Can any American organ.
lsation set itself up as superior to the
American Union? Shall not all
. Americans be served alike. whatever
their civic or social affiliations?
On what grounds Of justice can a
Gbir-minded human being claim the
right to tnflict punishment on inno-
oDut Thousands. by the weapon called
strike" because a fellow member 10
oheir civic or social afiilliations?
Mooney is guilty. and his craven
eccomplices are as guilty as The
devil himsslf-there Is no doubt Of
that. for every last process Of law
has ben exhausted to save him from
the penalty Of his crime. II the hon.
ct friendship Of his great organiza-
ton had been able to refuts the evi.
Deuce he would have been saved and
the whole people would have rejoiced:
but for any organization to take the
ground that this man is not guilty
and shall not be punished simply be-
cause he 10 a member Of a labor
snion. would place the whole organ.
lxatton in the hole with the criminal.
How would the. hundreds Of thous-
ands who would vote to save Mooney
from the penalty Of his crime by the
power Of organised might. know that
he was falsely accused? They would
man would have been guilty who
committed such crime as his? How
could they even pretend to know that
no was falsely accused? They would
simply take the position that "our
organisation and our members can
DO no wrong: we will not submit to
the laws that operate over other
Americans not members Of our or.
ganisAtion."
In riotous proceedings sane minds
have prevailed to save labor union.
Ism from this stigma.
Let There b 'liaht.
Some days the slky II bright. the
cir tnvigorating and We can sec far
into the fields adjoining Other days
are dark and foggy and oppressive;
our vision 10 restricted. our spirits
depressed and our comprehension
dulled.
And - " meet the events Of life.
We see clearly. or our vision Is
dimmed according to light that is