Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-24
CONGRESS WARNED
BY GOMPERS; LABOR
WILL OVERTURN II
Lawmakers Arfaigned for Be
trayal of People and Neglect
of Relief Measures.
WORKINGMEN AROUSED,
SAYS A. F. OF L. LEADER

itiiti IltdSulGS
The Congress Of the United States
cannot say that it has not had laid
before it suggestions for effective ac-
ton and plans for real relief. 1t can
say only that it would not listen and
would not act. Against the Congress
there rests an indictment which an
electorate will not overlook. There must
be an overturn in Congress. Enemies must
be defeated. Friends must be elected.
There must be sent to Congress men
who understand and men who can be
trusted. The record of betrayal must,
for the sake of the Nations welfare, give
place to record of constructive progress.
The declaration of war by powerful
and unscrupulous employers is recognized
by the working people of America. For
sixteen months and more these emplo er
have been conducting a silent insldlous
warfare. In the face of this warfare the
labor movement will stand firm and will
tolerate no breakdown OF its standards.
1T will resort to no undue haste and It
will countenance no conduct that is not
IN strictest accord with trade union
traditions. trade union laws and rules
and the highest concept of the patriotic
duty OF American citizens But war
forced upon the workers must be recog-
nized. and it is recognized.
The war of another character. but
driving toward the same end and typIhed
bv the enactments and the philosophy
If the present Congress, can be no less
ignored and it will be no less ignored.
The working people of the United States,
are aroused, not only as trade unionists
but rs workers and American citizens.
There is determination throughout
the United States to right the wrongs
that have been inflicted. The indictment
is based upon the established facts of what
has taken place. The remedy in every
case must be remedy applied with the
facts IN view.
we are going forward in the United
States, not backward. No American
citizen will rejoice that we have not been
able to go forward with the present Con-
gress But since we have not been able
10 go forward with the present Congress,
il is the duty of Americans TO elect a
Congress with which we can go forward
TO that task, then, bend all effort.
To offset unlicensed, prohteering
and ''freebooting the labor leader says
1T is necessary that there be immediate
adjustments of wages. both IN private
employment and in Government service
10 at least meet the living costs that have
outstripped incomes by reason of this era
Of frenzied prohteering and gambling
"The latest available statistics gathered
by the Department of Labor" he says
SHOW that the average union wage, which
IS always the highest wage, has advanced
55 per cent. The average cost of living has
advanced 96 per cent.
"The real meaning Of this in the lives
of the working people over the country
is that there has been reduction OF
wages, a reduction either IN the amount
or quality of the food and the clothing
and the enjoyment to be had IN their
homes.
'.Profteering rests the whole wei ght
of its rotten structure upon the wages
of the worker"
In addition to immediate adjustment
of wages, Mr.. Gompers insists that
immediate, definite action must be
taken to prevent continued increases IN
the cost OF living" that there must be an
end to the enactment of the kind of legls-
lation typihed by the Esch-Cummins
Railroad Law and the Kansas Court of
Industrial Relations Law, that there
must be an end 10 repression, restriction
and coercion, and not only must there be
an end to the enactment of legislation
Of this character, but there must be a
repeal of legi station already enacted.
MIR Gompers demands five measures of
relief:
"First-Immediate adjustments of
wages, both In private employment and
in Government service, to at least meet
the living costs that have outstripped
incomes by reason of this era OF frenzled
profiteering and gambling.
This must be done without delay,
Mr.. Gompers adds, for although the
cost OF living has increased 96 per cent,
the average union wage, which Is always
the highest wage, has advanced but 80
per cent, In the same period.
4Second-Immediate effective action
must be taken TO prevent continued IN
creases In the cost OF living Tins re-
uuires action of fundamental nature
Ii requires action by the Congress of
the United States. Advice to eat the
cheaper cuts of meat must give way
10 a more intelligent comprehension OF
facts and Willingness TO deal with them
In an American fashion, constructlvely- /
Third There must be an end to the |
enactment of the kind of legislation typi- |
fed by the Esch-Cummins Railroad law
and the Kansas Court of Industrial Re |
Iations laws. There must be an end Of !
legislative repression, restriction, and |
coercion. Not only must there be an
end to the enactment of legislation of |
this character, but there must be a re-
peal of legislation already enacted. Free |
dom III America must not be destroyed /
by legislative incompetence, nor must +
it be destroyed by judicial decree through |
The Constitution of the /
United States must have its full meaning
restored.
''Fourth-The Congress of the United |
States will do well to give immediate |
and effective consideration to the pro-
posal Of the American labor movement |
that control of credit capital be taken |
from private financiers and placed in |
the hands of public trust, TO be admin
istered upon principles voluntary and |
cooperative In character. This will strike /
a vital blow toward eliminating the abuses |
Of prohteering and exploitation.
"Fifth-Congress should provide i'm
for full publicity for income
tax returns.
THE working people Of the United
States are speaking today IN mandatory !
terms. They have reached point where
they vii no longer endure or suffer IN
Justice by legislative enactment and
prohteering by private pirates. The
service they have given entities them
TO the right TO be heard. They will be
heard. Their demand to be heard is a
demand which comprehends the welfare
Of the country.
''The labor movement in its recon-
struetion program adopted in June, 1919
and In its declaration of December 13,
1910 has laid before fha country com |