The Connecticut labor press., 1920-02-21
Congress Hostile to Workers 1; Has Strangled Remedial Legis- lation; Its Sole Thought the Repression of Labor, Among the Reasons Given Why Work CTS Should Get Busy in Cam paigns This Fall.

Charging that Congress has failed in its duty; that its dominating thought is the repression of Labor; that It IS openly hostile to all efforts of Labor for remedial legislation and that 1t is intent >on strangling all measures for justice to the workers, the official call for Labor to resent this attitude by taking part in the political affairs of the country this fall, was issued this week. The call was received by Secretary Ornburn of the Connecticut Federation of Labor Wednesday and will be brought before the Executive Board and later presented to the state convention in June Because Labor i'll Connecticut is already actively engaged along the lines laid out in the call no present action on it is deemed necessary.
 The call is issued by the Non-Partisan Political Campaign Committee of the American Federation of Labor, and IS blunt and drastic in its charges. It IS as follows:
 TO ALL ORGANIZED LABOR:
 DEAR SIRs AND BROTHERS: In com piiance with the directions of the last convention of the American Federation of Labor and of the December 13, 1919, conference of representatives of Labor and the farmers organizations, three days conference was held at the Fed eration headquarters in this city to con- slider the part which Labor should take in the coming campaign, prlmartes and election. The following declaration was unanimously adopted:
 The inherent rights and principles of our people are threatened.
 The free institutions of our country are menaced.
 The ideals of democracy are in danger.
 The Congress of the United States has failed fo do its duty. It has failed to meet the emergency. It has given encouragement and support to auto- cratic and reactionary policies. Its dominating thought has been the re- pression of Labor. Every effort to secure remedial and constructive legislation has been sfrang1ed Every appeal for redress has met with subtle and open hostility. The halls of Congress have been used by Labor's enemies to foster and spread a vicious propaganda against the efforts of the toilers to exercise their normal and lawful activities for the protection and promotion of their interests and welfare. Labor has appealed for relief in vain.
 The hour has arrived when those who believe in the maintenance of demo- cratic institutions must marshal their forces in defense of their rights and ideals.
 It is into1erable that a people who spared no cost to make the world safe for democracy should be forced to sub- init to any restriction of the glorious liberties inherited from the founders of our nation. The perpetuation of our fundamental rights and the enactment of essential constructive legislation de mand the election of men, regardless oi their political affiliations, who are truly representatve of American ideals of lib- erty.
 Conscious of its responsibilities, i'm pressed by the grave problems resulting from the great war, the American Fed eration of Labor at its annual conven' ton in June, 1919, adopted reconstruc. ton program. This program defined the essential industrial policies ane legislative enactments required to estab fish full measure of justice and oppor tunity for Labor.
 Because of grave emergencies Wh1cf have arisen since that convention, 1t be came imperative that the representative: of organized labor and of farmers should assemble and confer to devise ways and means for safeguarding theil rights and liberties as freemen and cltl zens. On December 13, 1919, confer ence of representatives of labor and O. farmers met in Washington, D. C.. hi conference expressed "Labor's Griev ances, Protests and Demands"
 No favorable legislative action upol the recommendations contained III tn American Federation of Labor Recon struction Program, or those expressed at the December conference, has beer taken by Congress. Instead many Con gressmen have endeavored to enac legislation providing for compulsory la bor. Despite the patriotism and sacrl flee of the masses of Labor ot Amer1c; during the world war, under the gu1s of anti-sedition laws the effort has beer made to repress free association, ire speech and free press.
 Scorned by Congress, ridiculed ant nisrepresented by many members O both Houses the American labor move ment finds 1t necessary to apply vlgor ous1y its long and wel1-estab1ished non partisan political policy.
 Confronted by a succession of host1l Congresses the American Federation o Labor, in 1906, announced its histori Bill of Grievances" This was fol lowed by vigorous and successful non partisan political campaign. In l9Oe 1910, and 1912, the same program wa energetical1y applied As result, man of Labor's enemies in Congress wer defeated and all of the essential leglsla ton in "Labor's Bill of Grievances" o 1906 was enacted.
 Constructive legislation has neve been so necessary as at present. Neve 2 has it been so essential to secure tn defeat of Labor's enemies and the cleo ton of its friends and supporters
 Sinister forces are already engaged efforts to confuse and nullify Labor political power. Their object is divide the labor vote so that the cleo ton of reactionaries and enemies c Labor will be assured.
 Unless Labor holds steadfastly to ii non-partisan policy, the enemies of Ls bor will be successful in their efforts.
 Labor can not, Labor must not, pei
 fCox,<;r,.,od os. Eiof1ff Pace !