New-York tribune., 1920-08-05
A. L. L. Plans
Cann1pai en- e for
Steel Unions
New Attempt To Be Made
to Organize Workers;
Sympathetic Strike May
BE One Of the Weapons
Want Right of Assembly
Candidates Will Be Asked
to Announce Positions
in Regard to Walk-Outs
From Special Correspondent

fFOM c. Special Correspondent
ATLANTIC CITY, Aug 4-Plans for
the unionization of the steel industry
and prevention of state and municipal
authorities from forbidding strikers
the right of public assembly were dis
cussed here to-day by the executive
council of the American Federation of
Labor Frank Morrison, secretary of
the federation, would neither affirm
nor deny reports that workers in es-
sential industries might be called upon
for sympathetic strikes in support of
the first movement.
The second object of the committee,
the preservation of the right of as
scmbly to strikers, Will be accom-
plished by political campaign, it is
hoped. Candidates for office, particu-
lary in Western Pennsylvania, where
strikers meetings were forbidden or
broken up during the steel strike man
aged by William T. Foster, will be
asked to pledge themselves to the pres
ervatlon OF the right of assembly,
Want Solid Labor Vote
Although the committee>has two OBJ
jects in view its campaign will have
as its primary aim the complete or
ganization Of labor in the steel indus
try, believing that the attainment of
:his object VIII facilitate the accom-
plishment of the other, giving soli-
darity to the labor vote which will
give emphasis to its demands upon can
dldatcs for Office.
This point was made by Mr.. Morri-
son when the direct question as to
the possibility of widespread sympa-
thctic strikes was put to him.
81 should hardly say that a strike is
contemplated, he said. at would be
better to say that organization is the
OBJ bjectlye."
More than thirty unions with several
hundred thousand members who are
connected directly or indirectly, with
the steel industry are to be asked to
appoint representatives to committee
which will have charge of the cam
paign. The Amalramated Association
Of Steel and Iron Workers, one of the
most powerful Of these bodies, has
promised to cooperate if William z.
Foster is barred from the directing
committee.
Not only local candidates for office
in the steel states but Governor Cox
and Senator Harding are to be asked
by the unions TO express themselves
strikers to hold public meetings and
parades.
Gompers VeXcd at O'Connor
In view of the political significance
of the meeting here, it was not con-
sidercd remarkable that Samuel Com
pers, president of the American FEEDER
alton of Labor, betrayed astonishment
and veXation upon learning that T. V.
Longshoremen's Association, had prom
scd his support unreservedly to Sena-
tor Harding and had implied that the
Republican Presidential candidate
would have the support of his union.
This is all news to me Mr.. Com
pers said. Neither Mr.. O'Connor nor
any other man has the right to make
any political pledge whatever for the
American Federation of Labor or any
of IS branches.
'''rhe fact has long been known that
it is not the intention of the fedora
ton to pledge itself in support of any
political candidate, except as is done
through the local union organizations,
end tlen upon the record of the candi-
date in labor matters. O'Conror is we'll
versed in the sentiments Of the fed
GRAFTON regarding pledges of political
support and he is not clothed with any
official authority to promise assistance
in q political sense from the fedora
ton,
Other leaders of the federation here
were less optimistic than Mr. Gompers
Where he had implied incredulity as to
70 n raJ to ha
shoreman chief they admitted frankly
that they thought he had said pre-
cisely what he was quoted as saying, and
Rad done SO to defy Mr. Gompers and
the federation because of their failure
to obtain the intervention of the Will
son Administration in the harbor strike
In New York.