New-York tribune., 1919-11-17
Direct Action
Is Denounced
By Cornpers
Pronunciamento by Head
of American Federation
of Labor Is Circulated
Among.New York Unions
Sees Democracy Menaced
Workers Are Told Strike
Will Be Retained as a
Weapon of Construction

A pronunciamento by President
Samuel Gompers Of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor against government
by direct action and denouncing it as
the weapon of those who seek minority
rule was circulated yesterday by New
York labor unions. The documenx
reads in part
"The question of direct action, as
brought before the British Trade
Union Congress in Glasgow, was
question bound to be Of the deepest in
terest TO trade unionists everywhere.
While it may be regretted that the
issue was not decided in definite
manner by direct vote, it is certain
that the policy Of direct action as ad-
voeated by its sponsors was not sus-
tained in the great convention of
British labor.
"Cablc reports indicate that action
on the proposition got 10 further than
motion for the previous question
(Which under British parliamentary
iuitS ilSSiiS tic OciSdO OI titc OGlRluli
proposition and to pass to the next or
der of business) This motion was
carried by 2,255,ooO votes against
2,0900 votes.
Direct Action Defeated
persons on both sides Of the qucs-
tion will undoubtedly claim something
of moral victory through vote Of
this character, though the fact evident
ly remains that there was no vote of
approval OF direct action. and therefore
British labor has defeated direct action
as means Of securing compliance with
its demands.
The constructive forces of American
trades unionism will find satisfaction N
the failure of the direct actionists to
secure 81 definite decision in favor Of
their policy. They will find this salts
faction because it is the earnest wish
of the American trades union move
ment that there should be constructive
progress by labor everywhere, and they
are profoundly convinced that the pol
| icy Of direct action cannot lead to per-
manent success.
Once the policy Of direct action is
embarked upon by any body large
enough to exert justified influence
in the affairs of the country. the
political structure is brought face to
face with a situation which may lead
to consequences OF reaction Of the
most critical character.
Direct Action. Destructive
/ "Tn q country where the political
life is democratic, as it is in England
and the United States, the undermine
ing of the democratic political struc-
ture by direct action methods is not
only unwlse but impractcab!e and
destructive. Our own direct actionists
in America express their philosophy in
the slogan, Strike at the ballot-bo
ence between this idea and that ex-
pressed by British advocates OF
direct action. They interpreted direct
action to mean the use of the strike
TO secure political demands which
could not or had not been secured
through political channels.
"The political system both in Eng
land and in the United States offers
periodical and absolutely free op-
portunity for arriving at decisions on
political questions. 1t offers a method
by which majority decision may be
registered for or against any propo
sition within the realm of politics
and any proposition whether wise or
unwise can be carried into effect pro-
viding the majority can be convinced
of its desirability.
Power for Minority
"Thc philosophy Of direct action con-
templates nothing short Of substitution
of minority rule for majority rule
1t seems incredible that in either Eng
land or America there should be Sc
riously contemplated any system BY
which the minority could through
forcible measures, invalidatc and over
turn the expressed will Of the ma
jority. What is meant by direct ac-
tion is this:
In the event that the majority de
cison at the bal OF box goes against
any given proposition, the minority
may, by suspending work in vital in
dustry compel the nation to reverse
the decision of the majority and &C
eede to the will of the minority.
Whether democratic political institu-
tons arc worth maintaining is, OF
course, a matter for decision by those
who live under democratic political in
stitutions.
''lt is the conviction Of the American
people, and specifically Of the Amer
ican working people, that political de-
mocracy, as we know it, is the best
form OF government yet devised, and
that it must not be endangered, and
cannot be endangered without entail
ing the most serious consequences to
every one.
To Retain Strike as Weapon
"The destruction of the democratic
/ political structure by direct action
would inevitably lead to chaos out of
/ which we could not emerge into the
restoration Of order without first re-
storing the political structure that had
been destroyed.
"History records but few ideas more
tragic and more fantastic than the idea
of government by direct action. 1t is
in fundamental opposition to every
thing that VIC have learned through
. experience to cherish and safeguard.
The strike itself is weapon too val
liable ard too sacred to be used for
any other than its legitimate purpose.
1t is weapon which the workers Of
the world will never relinquish, how