Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1919-07-05
MAKES STATEMENT
ON RECENT meeting
President J. H. Hall, Jr., of
Virginia State Fedora
ton of Labor Talks
is NOT IN POLITICS
Efforts to Pull Down Will Only
Strengthen Big Building-A More
Endure Federation.

Portsmouth, Va, July 5.-In view
Of the many conflicting and mislead-
ing statements appearing in the press
concerning the recent Convention of
tie Virginia Federation of Labor held
In Alexandria, Va, followed by the
withdrawal of several Richmond To-
cal unions from the State Federation,
the President, ]. H. Hall, jr., who has
lust returned from the A. F. of L.
invention, whilst not desiring or in
ding to be drawn into newspaper
ntrovensy, as no good results to la
lor can come thereby, yet in justice
60 the large majority of the members
Of the convention who selected and
elected a new regime as wen as to the
nnsguiding and msinfo,med rank and
file who so thougthlessly and blind
ly followed those who have been
i honored by the Virginia Federation of
Labor now for reasons known to
themselves are apparently seeking its
destruction; deem it desirable to is
] sue the following statements of
facts.
The convention was called promptly
to order on the date set; viz June 2nd
| 1919, and notwithstanding that the
credentlal committee, appointed by
President Wilcox, at his direction met
the day before that date, yet they
4couki not OR would not make even
l partial report on that date, thereby
recessitatinig that the business of the
convention be postponed another day
thus prolongirg the convention and
costing the various unions whose dele
gates were in attendance several
thousand dollars unnecessarily. Fl
When this WiIcox-appointed Gre
dental Committee did report, they re-
commended. and justly. so, the seat
;rg of all negro delegates and Presi-
dent Wilcox, in his address took occa-,
sion to specifically welcome then, to
the: conventions; and later on inter
rupted. the regular. order of business
I tc Introduce negro attorney, Giles
Jackson, his friend, from Richmond,
to address, the convention just prior
to the election of officers, although the
time for speakers had passed. And
another significant fact in this con-
neetion is that nc comments or cri-
|, ticism of the negro as delegate were
heard before the election of officers.
/ All the .colored delegates from Rich
mond and Roanoke voted for Wilcox.
!. When the election did take place,
notwithstanding that no Judges or tel
lers were appointed and the secretary
announced the vote as 1872 for Hal, to
1853 for Wilcox, yet the tallies kept by
various people on both sides showed
q majority of over so for Hall, thus
clearly demonstrating that Presi
dent Hall received, majority of moi
only the.negro votes; but also a sub.
stantial majority of the Write. dele.
gates votes as we'll and he is justly
proud to be the representative of al
union men regardless of race, color
politics or religion. Thus conform
ing to the principles and doctrins Of
the American Federation of Labor
and which has been so vividly: reaf
firmed by the A. F. of of L. Conven
: tion just closed, when practically al
the international Presidents rose ol
the floor Of the Atlantic City Conven
ton to assure the negro that so IA
as their particular craft was concern
ed, the negro had the same right
and opportunities as any other mem
Der not only for his own protection
but for that of his fellow workers a
well; so that in electing negro, W. {
Paige, who was nominated by them a
their chosen Representative on tn
executice board, the Virginia Fedora
ton cf Labor was only according t
them their Constitutional and jus
rights Of representa- tion for taxation
Negro delegates have been admit
ted to the Virginia Federation of La
Dor for the past II years.
rs. The real friends Of labor can res
assured that all efforts to pull dow