Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1919-01-15
MOONEY LEAGUE
HITS SNAG WHEN
|. v. v. but TTS|N'
Socialists and Radicals Try
to Run Away With Union
Meeting Bourke Coch-
ran Talks for Bolshevism
-Conse ervatives Hold
Ground Temporarily =
Trouble Feared
rRepubIican A. P. Leased lWire]

CHICAGO, Jan. 14.-Socialists and
members of the l. w. w. made an un-
successful attempt today to gain con-
troll of the national labor congress,
called by the International Workers
Defense league, to decide upon a plan
of action to obtain new trials for
Thomas J. Mooney and Warren Billings,
now serving life terms for murder in
connection with the San Francisco pre-
paredness day parade bomb outrage in
July, 1916.
Trouble was precipitated at the open
ing session. when several hundred So
cialists and l. w. W. leaders insisted
upon being seated as delegates. Among
the socialists in attendance were Adolph
Germer, national secretary of the party,
Rev. Irwin st. John Tucker, recently
convicted for violating the espionage
act, and George Koop of Chicago.
Germer later was seated as delegate
from a local of the United Mine
Workers.
Although the radicals We're denied
seats. they refused to leave the hall
and attempted to participate in the
proceedings. Apparently they intend
to continue their fight at every session
of the three day convention. They will,
it is said, work for the passage of a
resolution favoring "a general labor
strike
The International Workers Defense
League, in planning the congress- in
vited only trades unions to send dele
gates, and wanted the discussion con-
fined to the Mooney case but bolshe-
vikism and many other subjects would
be considered before the meeting if the
radicals carried out their plans.
To Ask Radicals Release
I -,R. II. Ashcroft, a delegate from Ia
cofna,,., Washington. is said to have a
resolution calling for the release OF all
industrial and political. prisoners in
Guiding Eugene Debs. Victor l.. .~9es r
ger, Adolph Germer. William u. fsryt-
wood and all other radicals convicted
since the beginning of the war. He
also declared that a majority of the
delegates from the west and northwest
favored a general strike to enforce their
demands. He was busy today circulat-
ing a petition for signatures in support
of this radical program.
Although the conservative element
won in the first clash today, there
seems to be considerable doubt whether
they will be able to control the action
of the convention through.
The trouble started when John Fitz-
patrick. president of the Chicago Fed =
Grafton of Labor. after welcoming the
delegates. attempted to introduce E. D.
Nolan, secretary treasurer of the In
ternational Workers Defense League
as the permanent chairman of the
meeting. There We're loud protests from
the radicals who insisted that the con
vention select its own chairman.
Finally it was agreed that Nolan
should act as Temporary chairman, and
z. 3. Ault of Seattle, was chosen tenn
porary secretary.
Chairman Nolan reviewed the work
done by International Workers De
Tense League in behalf of Mooney. and
advised that the remedy of calling a
/ general strike not be used, except as a
| last resort, after every other means had
! failed. He suggested federal interven-
/ ton. or the passage of necessary laws
| in CALIFORNIA, authorizing the setting
aside of unjust verdicts as remedies. :
Cheer General Strike
| The delegates loudly cheered every
mention of the general strike
Trouble was renewed when the Gre
dentials committee asked whether Gel
/ egates sent, without invitation, by III,
socialist party and the I. W. W, SHOULD
/ be seated.
Scenes of disorder followed, dun ins
which a score of delegates attempted tt
talk at once. Fist fights were ilnminen
between the representatives of the con
| servative and the radical factions
Chairman Nolan said it was the inten-
ton to confine the membership of tht
congress to delegates from trade:
unions.
Continued on Page Two)