The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-03-29
In Able Address, w. o. w. Com
mander Denounced At
tacks on Him Recently
Published
PROOF OF FAITH
IN UNIONS GIVEN
Warning Against Combination
That Would Defeat Gompers
Was SOunded-Labor
Leader Paid Tribute vi

Characterizing the men who had
circulated the report in Pensacola that
he was opposed to union labor, as
"barnacles' who would keep the jobs
intended for returned soldiers. w. L.
Fraser. sovereign commander OF the
woodmen OF the World. delivered IA
scathing denunciation of his enemies
last night at the Garden theatre. A
packed house heard his message and
applauded and cheered vociferously.
Replying to the charge that in the
main office in Omaha, he had dis
missed employees who formed a union.
| the chief said: Let me say. hero and
now, that l never hired or discharged
, man or woman in my life. would
| love to hire people, but would hate
, to discharge them. Therefore ] leave
| both the pleasure and the disagree
ableness to others"
The hundreds OF circulars, distribut-
| ed in Pensacola, scoring Commander
Fraser, and which came very near
causing his visit here to be called Off
| IL is known and their authors were
scored in no uncertain terms. The
employees discharged" he said, were
80 incompetents, six OF whom were
| union men, who saw ray OF hope in
the situation by means Of the union
card through which they might get
back their jobs"
Let me say the speaker contin-
ued. "51 years ago was born. N1kl)-
out my knowledge or consent; then
and there I began to labor and have
always labored since. No one has ever
! labored more, but IL had never known
| what it was to labor. the two hours
which 1 spent this morning at your
shipyard. the glimpses OF the men 1
! caught bending and toiling there. I
should indeed be heartless at this late
day, If did not do what I could to
tighten the burden.
II maintain that every penny in this
organization belongs to widows and
orphans and not to those whose fangs
would fasten on it. These discharged
ones, one of them worth more than
three-quarters of n million dollars,
another independently rich, formed "A
union and decided that Fraser would
go and they would come back But
they are not back and Fraser 10 here.
So they start a journal and attack me.
IT is almost too ridiculous to disprove.
yet some OF you men and women be-
lieved it,
Il hope / may convince you that I
am not an autocrat, nor plutocrat,
but just a common man.
Il want to say that in our building.
which is Is stories high, with two
floors underground, that every car
penter, every painter. every plastercr.
employed must have n union card"
AS proof OF his faith in union labor.
the commander exhibited records of
the order, and other literature. some
of them written by himself. and all
of which bore the union label No. Z.
The speaker paid a tribute to Sam
uel Gompers, president OF the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor, and he cau-
toned his followers of the clash which
he said was coming. and the effort to
replace him. Il want to sound a warn
ing note of the combination which
would defeat him and place the Boil
shcvikis element in his place. I say
to you men, who love union, home,
children and fair play. for Gods sake.
stand by Samuel Gompers, the saliva
tion of unionism.' 81.
The returned soldier came in for
his share Of praise. 'T take my hat
off TO the man who left the shop, the
bank or the farm. BY the living God.
make room for him."
Mr.. Fraser spoke of his endorsement
Of President Wilson, of the League Of
Nations and Of the rehabilitation plan
for returned soldiers under vocational
education.
The speaker was introduced by Peter
L. Rollo and talks were also made by
II. Pope Reese, Sovereign Attorney
Bradshaw and Sovereign Advisor b.
w. Jewell
The lecture last night was preceded
by a parade from headquarters,
through the downtown streets and to
the place Of speaking.
Earlier in the day there was a bay
trip. an automobile ride and luncheon
given for the visitors.
-------------- -