The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-02-08
LABOR UNITED
THROWS HAT INTO
POLITICAL RING
aes,,.' = sse,s.ssss.5ation to Begin
=. W. Il Campaign
GOMPERS COMMITTEE HEAD
VIII Attempt to Defeat Candidates In
different or Host lie to
Organized Labor

Washington, Feb. S.-(By Associat-
ed Press )-Organized labor, three
million rcng. has thrown its hat In
to the political ring.
Vigorous y denounc.ng Congress,
which it was said has failed to do its
Duty he American Federation of
Labor. announced the appointment of
a naticna non-partisan policial cam
paign committee which will mobilize
rade un.onists and "ail overs of
freedom" n an effort to defeat candi-
dates Indifferent or hostile to labor
and elect true and tried friends of
the trade union movement.
Net waiting for the general election
in November, the campa .gn will be
started imediatey and pursued with
out relaxation through the primaries
in which 1t is stated all aspirants for
Office will have heir records "ana.yz-
cd, stated In unmistakable anguage
and given the wides possible publici-
ty" This program applies to all
candidates, from presidential nomi-
nees down.
caLiuCL 0uLuptibf PlSSiuCul VI llC
federaticn; Frank NJ Morrison, sec
retary, and James O'Connell, president
of the federation's me al trades de-
partment, were appointed as execu-
tive committee, empowered to obtain
such assistants as necessary. Four
women are included in the ma ional
committee. A national crisis, threat
ening the free Institutions of the coun-
try by the react onary" aGi ude of
Congress-, 1t was said, impeled orga-
nized labor to apply this year the
non-partisan policy formu ated in
1906 and used in several subsequent
campaigns. Announcement of the de
cision was made in an official circu
lar embodying the conclusions CT the
.rsdera ions general committee VIII 'ch
has been in session here several
days. This circular viii be distribut
ed to trade unionists in every state
through the local unions, by which
1t viii be called also to the attention
of friends, of organized .abor The
circular begins:
The inherent righ and principles
of our people. are threatened.
The free Institutions of our coun.
try are menaced.
The ideals of democracy are In
danger.
The Congress OF the United States
has failed to do It's duty 1t has
failed to NEE the emergency. 1t
has given encouragement and sup
port to autocratic and retionary
policies Its dominating thought has
been he repression of abor.
Every effort to secure remedial and
constructive legislation has been
strangled. Every appeal for redress
has met with subtle and open hos
tility The halls of Congress have
been used by abors enemies to fos
ter and spread vicious propagan-
da against the efforts of he toilers
to exercise Their normal and lawful
activities for the protection and pro-
motion Of their interests and welfare
Labor has appealed for relief in
vain.
The hour has arrived when those
who be ieve in the main enance OF
democratic institutions must marshal
their forces in defense OF their rights
and ideals.
1t is intolerable that the people
who spared no cost to make the
world safe for democracy should
be forced 20 submit to any restric-
tion of the glorious liberties inherit
ed from the founders of our nation.
The perpetuat.cn of our fundamental
rights and the enactment of essential
constructive legisla ion demand the
election Of men, regardless of ther
po itical affiliations, who are truly
representative of American ideals of
liberty.
Conscious of It's responsibilities
impressed by the grave problems
resulting from the grea war the
American Federation Of Labor at its
annua convention in June 1919, |
adopted reconstruction program
This program defined the essential in
dustrial policies and Legislative en-
actments required to es ablish a full
measure of justice and opportunity
fer labor.