Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-02-09
CHARGES congress
| NEGLECTS ITS DUTY
Leaders Assert Inherent Rights
and Principles of People
Are Threatened.
FREE INSTITUTIONS MENAcED
Declares National Body Has
Strangled Remedial and Cons
structive Legislation.
FREE INSTITUTIONS MENAcED
tBy Universe, Service.

BY Universal Scrvice.l 4s,.s
WASHINGTON, Feb. S.-The Amerl-
can Federation Of Labor today an.
nounced It's plan of action for the com.
ing political campaign. The fedora
ton decided to wage an active cam
paign in every congressional district OF
the country to elect candidates for
Congress who are known to be friend;
ly to policies advocated by organized (
labor and to defeat candidates who ara S
known to be hostile.
Samuel Gompers, Frank Morrison
and James O'Connell were selected as
an executive committee. They werS
authorized and directed to secure sucb
assistance as may be necessary I'm fur
ilerance of the purposes of the cam
paiEn. y large general campaign com.
all of the principal organizations repf
resented in the federation also was an.
nounced. M
Declaration La Made.
The following is. the declaration
ton after a three days. conference held
u. the headauarters in this city to
maries and election: .5s,.t
The, inherent rights and principles
..The i free institutions ,eHo1 of our country
The ideals OF democracy arc, lin :
The Congress OF. tho United states
hns failed to do It's duty. 1t hasFfailed
to meet tho emergency. 1t has given
cratic and reacttonnryss policies. It's. !.
nominating thoug h & has. snecn I thes ;rSeS,
preston of;labor.t
Constructive Legislation strnnElsd.- &,
EVERY effort. to secure remedial and
constructive legislation has been
haa mel With subtle and open ISa lsasaI. hossii.
used by labor's enemies to foster and !
spread vicious propaganda against
the. efforts of the toilers to exercise
the protection and promotion of their
interests and welfare Labor has ap-
pcaled for relief In vain.
The hour has arrived when those
who believe in tho maintenance OF
democratic institutions must marshal
their forces in defense Of their rights
and ideals.
Balk .t Restrictions. ~.
'1t Is intolerable that a people who
spared no cost to make the world safe
for democracy should be forced to SUBJ
liberties Inherited from the founders
OF cur mutton. The perpetuation ofiout
f9ndamental rights and the enactment
nland the election Of men. regardless OF
their political affiliations, who are
truly repTesentatives of American
impressed by the grave problems re-
fannE ean s9 hs q ffrf vat the ana Amss
convention in June. 1919. adopted 4
reconstruction program. This program
and Legislative enactments required TO
establish full measure of justice and
opportunity for labor.
To Safeguard Rights.
Because OF grave emergencies .whteh
came imperative that the representa-
tives OF organized labor and OF farmers
should "a; assemble an and confer to desiSs
rights and liberties as free men and
citizens. On December IL. 1919. con-
Of farmers met in Washington, D. c.
This conference expressed .laboris
grievances. protests and demands 81
the recommendations contained in .ths
American Federation OF Labor recon-
struetion program.,or those expressed
taken by Congress. Instead many
Congressman have endeavornd to enact
1sgislation pssD,,s p,oyiding for
sacrifice of the masses of labor OF
America during the world war. Under
he sIhss hss of sss Laws th
association. free speech and free press,
Will Apply PoliticaI Policy.
Scorned by Congress, r!diculed aud
n:,r mi:s,relpresented by many members o.
apply its long and we'll IL -establishea sas2aGlss
no.nnpartisan political policy, ~
5een SO necessary as at present. Never
has ii been. so essential to secure the
defeat Of labor's enemies and the eIec-
Sinister forces are already actively
sng;a;ged engage in efforts to confuse and
OBJECT is to- dlvide ' the S%sF faSoT vote hs!1 So
that the election of reactlonaries and
enemies OF labor will be assured un-
less . labor holds eteadfastiy to its non
OF labor will be successful in their ef.
forts. Labor cannot labor must not,
permit its political strength to no
iZed labor owes allegiance to no potts.
icai PARTY. 1t is not partisan to any
pGlee PARTY Il Is partisa. 70 prn
justice and OF democracy.
.sThe American Federation Of Labos
cnils upon all affiliated and recognized
organizations. state declarations OF
natS,s:,s nntSns, and iabor's friends and sym.
port to the nonpartisan politica! carn..
Must ;heEtn In Primaries.
gin in the primaries. The record raeor % Of
ssxety sv aannS, aspirant for public office must
enemies and friends must Be- definitely
known; known; To this end tho American
national nonpartisan poiitical canss Il
Ssoa @ ali initiated rna and sssssasss Sss assss :
and local committees and to- 60. opssS
ate with the Eationai committee ard q
eo.Gr5dns.s rss SatnIs its si5ss,s Il. -