The Washington herald., 1919-01-13
WORKERS PARTY.
STRIKES TERROR
into "0LD Line"
Democrats and Republicans
United in Fear of Threat
ened Organization.
MAY NOMINATE WALSH
Ex-Member Of War Labor
Board Being Boosted
for Presidency.

With the organized farmers Of
he country demanding a Congress
ional investigation of the Depart
uent Of Agriculture, and the COM
nercial Telegraphers' Union de-
handing Congressional lnVestlga-
ion OF Postmaster General Burle-
.on's administration of the wire ana
able systems of the country, WASH
ugton is today viewing with some
ypprehensiOn the threatened organ
Eation Of new national lapoF
Jarty.
The nucleus of the party was
'ormed yesterday at New YORK
rbis follows within month the
organization of a labor party Dy
he union leaders of Chicago. Al
hat time organizers were named l"
VeId the union movement or LIMOS
pto one compact body for poIltlcal
.ctiyity.
samuel GOmpers was supposed 10
ave submarined the national LABOR
,arty as planned in Chicago, wheh
10 declared Immediately afterwards
n New York that the federation
would not sponsor such a move
nent.
Absence TangIcs situation.
Compers is now in Europe as
,IeIegafe to the International IaooF
peace conference. What the LEADERS
OF the labor movement in this country
will do in his absence regarding Ine
new party started in New horK Is
doubtful. Officers of the American
Federation in Washington would not
discuss the situation, except 10 can
attention to GompeTs' earlier state
nent.
Failure of the government to take
4 more vigorous stand against EN-
oloyers in the New York strike, ana
what labor regards as persecution Dy
ghe Postmaster General OF the teles-
raphers' union, is straining the 10y
atty OF many of the leaders to the
administration.
II Gompers is successful in forming
an International federation OF laooI.
plans for which he has outlined and
xhich he expects to present to the
International labor peace conference,
leaders expect a definite party move
nent TO receive impetus.
Angered by BurlesOn-
Postmaster General BurlesOn's at
1ack on the telegraphers' union yes
.erday has further aroused labor The
support of the American Federation Is
oledged to the teleEraphers, and ire
nendous pressure on Congress to in
,estigate determinations against
Inion men under Federal control OF
The wire system is expected from all
parts OF the country.
Meetings were held in almost every
state this afternoon by the telegraph
srs. at which the resolutions demand
ing Congressional action were passed
Representatives of other unions were
present in most instances, and are eX-
oected by the teIegraphers to report
back the action to their own unions,
where similar action is expected.
Bitter attacks on the government
operation of the wire system were
made at these meetings, and 1t became
known in Washington that the recon-
struction committee Of the American
Federation of Labor. though favor
able to the government ownership of
the railroads. might not include that
plank in its platform because of union
dissatisfaction with the governments
operation Of the wire system.
Say Raise is Reduction.
Answering the Postmaster General S
claim that he could not meet the
wage demands OF the unions in the
advance he granted telegraphers. the
Washington union charged that what
he called an advance of wages was
in fact a reduction. They charge that
the time and a half they have been
accustomed to receive for Sunday
work has been taken from them.
and that under the wage increase
they are forced to work Sundays on
straight time According to their fig
ures the saving on this reduction to
the wire companies is much greater
than the to 10 per cent increase that
Mr.. Burleson's order authorized.
They also point out that though
the wires are all under Federal con-
troll. a telegrapher works eight hours
day for the Western Union and IS
furnished his typewriter. while work
ing for the Postal he must work nine
hours and furnish his own machine.
Finally they claim the men discharged
by the Western Union months ago
for membership in the union have
never been reinstated under Federal
control.
The name Of Frank p. Walsh Is
persistentIy connected with the nomi-
nation for Presidency on the national
labor party ticket IL the party should
be formed. Walsh recently resigned
as one Of the joint chairmen of the
National War Labor Board. But he
has not authorized the use Of his
name.