New-York tribune., 1920-05-07
May Day Scare
Is Resented by
Labor as Sll1r
Warming by Palmer Called
Despicable Propaganda
Against Workers in
Denunciation by Healy
Rail Board Hears Attack
Stationary Firemen's Head
Says Profteers Are Pro-
tected by Officials Acts

WASHINGTON, May e.-Attorney
General Palmer's warning of threat
ened May Day violence and announce
ment of steps taken to prevent it were
assailed before the Railroad Labor
Board to-day by Timothy Healy. pres
ldent of the Brotherhood of Stationary
flremen and Oilers, as part of what
ne characterized as "a dcspicable prop
aganda against labor"
SUCH propaganda, Mr.. Healy said,
was started within less than twenty
four hours after the signing of the
! armistice and was designed ito poison
the minds of the people to such an ex-
tent that the profiteers could still fur
ther increase prices and place the
blame on labor"
Labor Resents Attacks
Chairman Barton, Of the board, pro-
tested against criticism of other GOV
ernment departments being introduced
into arguments before the board on the
demands of railway workers for in
creased wages, but Mr. Healy said the
men he represented were wrought up
over attacks on labor by government
officials and that he had been instruct
on the loyalty of railroad men. He
did not call the Attorney General by
name.
THE loyalty of our railroad men
during the war with Germany cannot
and sinckre," continued Mr.. Healy.
But many honest and sincere people
have listened to the poisoned tongues
and read the output of poisoned pens
until they believe that labor is dis
loyal. The crusade OF this high gov
ernment official is undoubtedly for
| the purpose of aiding in the campaign
of certain employers of the country to
obtain laws establishing involuntary
servitude.
Proposed Laws Denounced
"Sedition laws were suggested that
would tie labor hand and foot While
ostensibfy these laws were proposed to
eradicate bolshevism, !. W. W.'ism and
anarchism, the real purpose was to
prevent the normal activities of labor
The most fragrant instance of this
most despicable crusade to infiame the
people of this country against wage
workers was the information given out
that May first was to be used by these
numbering certain high officials But
the plans of the intriguers who sought
to add further stigma to labor went
wrong. May day passed off as peace
fully as any other day in the year"
Referring to the high cost of living,
Mr.. Healy declared the public was
easily misled.
"At one time they were told to eat
fish and the cost of living would be re-
duced," he said. "They bought SO
many fish that the prices doubled and
! triplcd. They were told to eat cheap
cuts Of meat. They did so and now
they pay as much for them as they did
for tenderloin and porterhouse.
Government officials who are seek
ing to discredit labor by concocting
conspiracies, made it appear that the
wage workers are band of murderers
and government destroyers. If the
government officials and Congress had
given as much attention to limiting the
profits of the Drofiteers as they did to
pounding and bounding the wage earn
ers the cost Of living would have been
decreased to figures within reason.
But they are with the profteers and in
order to hide that fact they direct all
their energy in attacking any one who
works for wages"
After Mr.. Healy completed his state