The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-01-18
B0LSHEVIKI IN
LABOR CONGRESS
L. w. w. and Criminal Agitators
Cause Disturbance IN
Chicago.
ATTEMPT TO SEIZE
CONTROL Of MEETING
Radical Elements Not Allowed
Seats But They Remain to
Create Strife.

Chicago, Jan. 14.-Socialists and
members of the I. W. W. made an un-
successful attempt today to- gain con-
troll of the national labor congress,
called by the Industrial Worae':. De-
tense League to decide upon q plan
Of action to obtain new trials for
Thomas J. Mooney and Warren Bill
| ings, now serving life terms for mur-
der in connection with the San Fran
ciso preparedness day parade bomb
outrage July %, 1916.
Trouble was precipitated at the
opening session when several hun
dred Socialists and /. ". W. leaders
insisted upon being seated as dele
gates Among the Socialists in at
tendance was Adolph Germer, nation
al secretary of the party, and the Rev.
irwin ST. John Tucker, both recently
| convicted for violating the espionage
| law. Germer later was seated as dele
gate from a local Of the United Mine
Workers.
Although the radicals were denied
seats they refused 20 leave the hall
and attempted to participate in the
congress 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 q resolution favoring a general Ia
| Dor strike.
The Industrial 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 Boil
shevisn and many other subjects
would be considered by the meeting
| if the radicals carried out their plan.
There seems to be considerable doubt
whether the conservative element Will
be able to control the action Of the
convention throughout.
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, y-treasurer of the
Industrial Workers Defense League,
as the permanent chairman Of the
meeting. There were loud protests
from the radicals who insisted that
the convention select its own chair
man. Finally it was agreed that NO
Ian should act as temporary chair
man and E. B. Ault Of Seattle was
chosen temporary secretary.
Chairman Nolan reviewed the work
;o1
League in behalf of Mooney and adj
vised that the remedy Of calling a
general strike be not used except after
Eevery other means had failed. He sug-
gested federal intervention or the pas
sage Of necessary laws in California
authorizing the setting aside Of unjust
verdicts as remedies.
The delegates loudly cheered every
mention Of the general strike.
Trouble was renewed when the
credentials committee asked whether
delegates from the Socialist party and
the I. W. w. sent without invitation,
should be seated. Chairman Nolan
said it was the intention to conf1ne the
membership of the congress to dele
gates from trades union.
Selig Schulberg Of San Francisco
spoke in favor Of excluding radicals
Finally he shook his fist at Socialists
and shouted You never worked q
day in your life and we want you and
your kind to get out You fellows
want to ruin this movement"
Socialists and members of the I. W.
w. insisted on speaking and declared
that thai had done more than or
ganized labor to arouse public inter
est in the Mooney case. After tur-
bulent wrangle Of nearly an hour,
Chairman Nolan put the motion to ex-
clude the Socialists and l. w w. and
declared it carried by viva voce vote
There was roar Of disapprovaI but
attempts to appeal from the decision
Of the chair were howled down. A
Burke Cochran of New York. counsel
for Mooney, then addressed the dele
gates. He praised President Wilson's
labor policies and made a violent at
tack on the administration of Justice
in the courts.
1.-The latest word from our president
is that the Bolsheviki in Europe can
be quelled by food" said Attorney
Cochran. Il do not agree with him.
The only cure for Bolshevism is to
give them justice. Bolshevism means
rule by the majority. This does not
sound unfair I do not fear this new
force that has come into being. The
masses have never been vicious, it is
always the classes The worlds choice
today is between democracy and
chaos. In government like this cv-
erything depends upon the honesty Of
thu judiciary. Our constitution
amounts to nothing except SO far as
it is confirmed by the judiciary
He said the Mooney case is now an
international question. The convic-
ton Of Mooney on perjured evidence.
he sait.. was q judicial crime. he
asked the convention to adopt reso-
lutions demanding that the Califor-
MIA legislature pass a law permitting
the setting aside of verdicts obtained
on perjurcd testimony. He said near
~ every other State has such Il law.
The convention passed 4 motion
directing the chairman to cable to
President Wilson and Samuel Comp