New-York tribune., 1919-01-22
Gompers Outlines
u. S. Labor Views
TO British Congress
Are Said to In.
sist on Conference Minus
Any Socialists or Ger
mans Present as Delegates
By Chester M. Wright
Nstr York Tribune
Euynnau p.


fCopsrisht. 1913 New York rribuus Incl
LONDON. Jan. 20.@Samuel Gompers
and his CO. delegates from the American
Federation of Labor met the Parlia-
mentary committee OF the British
Trade Union Congress this afternoon
and struggled for three hours with is
cues 80 grave as to require a further
session tomorrow. When the session
adjourned neither the Americans nor
the British would issue statement.
we cannot say anything.' was the
universal reply to queries. But this is
known, that the Americans left propo-
sition Of a momentous nature with the
British, who will consider it in execu-
tive session tomorrow morning before
again meeting the Americans.
1t Ia already evident that Mr.. Gompers
has donned his fighting clothes. Indi-
catlons were not lacking tonight that
this afternoons meeting was made the
occasion for some extremely vigorous
declarations. There is no authority
from any American delegate for saving.
so, but 1t is quite apparent that the
Henderson Socialist Labor congress
proposal made no gains with the Ameri-
cans through anything that has hap
pened since Mr.. Gompers and his party
arrived
Henderson Is Absent
Arthur Henderson is IN Berne ar
ranging Tor the coming Socialist and
LABOR congress, in company with
camille Huysmans, secretary of the
international Socialist Bureau. 1t was
announced at Labor party headuuar-
ters here that the congress probably
would be held at the Socialist head
quarters in Rerne
Those who know Samuel Gompers
and the American Federation of Labor
beheve that no American labor delega-
ton will be there
Wednesday the Americans will Jour
hev 20 Iafls, arriving there the same
night. The British delegation to the
berne congress will leave about the
same time. In Paris the Americans will
attend conference of the French Con
federation OF Labor executives. There
seems chance that the British Trade
Union Congress delegation also will at
tend this conference.
Would Bar Germans
What the Americans are probably
proposing is a purely trade union CON
gress to be held in Paris, minus Social
lsts as such, and in any case minus
Germans.
Whatever the outcom of such an eff
fort, if it is being made, will develop
after the conference in Paris. 1t is Ger
tain that the British trade union dele
CATION will proceed to Berne to partic-
pate in the Henderson congress, which
really will be meeting of the pre-
war Socialist international.
The British trade union delegation
really is not a separate delegation. 1t
IS instructed to act jointly with the
Labor party delegation, and must do so
The truth thus is that in this situation
there Will be no purely union represent
tatlon from Great Britain at the Berne
affair.
Charles Edward Russell. William
English Walling and Frank Bohn, rep
resenting the Social-Democratc League
or America, proceeded to Paris to-day
to attend meeting of Socialists of AL
he'd countries. Prior to the Berne con-
gress these Americans will protest Wig
orously against holding congress at
Berne, which Mr.. Russell asserts nigh t
easily prove to be "a match struck in
side powder magazine"