The evening world., 1919-09-06
LABOR MEN REPLY
TOL.P. HOLLAND ON
STRIKE TRUCE PLAN
DepoSed Members of State
Board viii Appeal to
~' Rank and File.


president Of the New York Federa-
ticn OF Labor. signed by John F.
Pierce and rsadore Epstein. the open
ing gun is fired in what promises TO
be aAlively battle between the labor
leaders who oppose and those who
favor six months respite from
strikes in order that production may
be stimulated and the cost Of living
lowered. -
Pierce and Epstein are the men
who were removed by Holland from
the Federation's committee to devise
plans for reducing the cost of iiv7
ing. They are the authors Of the six
mouths truce plan. which was re-
pudIbted by Holland. They now an
nouneo that In spite OF their removal
they will continue the fight and will
appeal to the rank and file Of the Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor. Their letter says:
"New York. Sept. s. 1919.
mir. James p. Holland. President
New York State Federation of Labor.
Dear Sir And Brother. Your letter
notifying the undersigned OF their re-
moval from the committee appointed
by you to devise plans for reducing
Tho cost Of living was received by Mr..
Epstein at o'clock on the morning
of Sept. r. On the same day we noti-
flea the Merchants Association Com
,yplliee OF your action and that we no
longer had authority to act for the
New York State Federation OF Labor
oT Its president.
I'VE yield TO your authority, MIR.
President, With, no feeling OF personal
resentmeut. we stiil retain our re-
spect ana 6irection FOR you. and our
admiration Cor your qualities as loyal
leader OF ofapHitsA- iRb9r, the abIest
champion OF the rights OF to.lers
among the trade unionists OF New
York state and patriotic American
Citizen.
WILL APPEAL TO THE RANK
AND FILE
I'VE reiterate the congratulations
that We extended on your recent
election. as. President OF the State
Federation, and we congratulate the
convention ON its wisdom in select
ing you one again 20 lead the hosts
OF labor. Your able work during the
many years that you have devoted to
the cause Of labor and the achieve
ments that are written on your rec
ord are proof that you have done
what you thought was best for tho
intorests OF organized labor, In re-
pudiating our report OF Sept. 1, aud
for the man who disagrees with us
because his conscience dictates that
course We have nothing but respect.
but, sir. though you have slienced
us as members OF your committee
we cannot and will not be Bllenced
as trade unionlsts affiliated with the
state Federation and with the Amer
lean Federation OF Labor. Our con-
science pleads with US 10 60 on with
the work we have begun, and we
win do 80 as members OF the rank
and file OF organized labor. making
appeal 10 our brothers OF the rank
and file.
"our report OF Sept 1 was bnsed
ON a study OF existing economic con-
ditions. We oou'd see no other way
out OF the difficulties that beset the
country than by the declaration OF
truce 10 all Industrial warfare. and
uniting with the President OF the
United States to lower the cost Of
living and restore the country 70 a
sound business basis. In his mes.
sage OF Aug. 26, President Wilson
wrote;
"Tt (the cost OF livlnG). will GER
tainly DO lowered as soon as there
are settled conditions OF production
and Of commerce. Only by
keeping the cost OF production on It's
present level, by increasing produce
ton can We hope for large
decreases In the burdensome cost OF
living which now weighs us down,
-we regard this as a summons
from the Commander in Chief OF all
of the people of the United States to
labor and capital TO cease their com
paratively petty chickering's and unite
70 sntsnslvoly increase production.
To this summons from the Nations
J Chief we responded as quickly and
willingly as we responded TO his
. wishes during the war
In our tup we called upon organ
lied labor 90 march under the stan
dard which the President had raised
We retraet no sentence. word. syl-
liable or punctuation mark OF ouI
Sept 1 report; we stand upon II
Z without excuse or apology 10 any
man. We insist with all the force W,
= possess that there should, nay must
y be a complete cessation OF unneces
sary strikes and Increased produc,
tion, or the efforts OF President WI
son to effect a reduction OF the COS
q | OF living and replace the country oI