New-York tribune., 1920-07-10

tempt py Ene waterfront labor unions
and the truckmen's union to hamper
the commerce Of New York City. to
increase living costs to its population
by shutting out foodstuffs, and to
destroy its industries by depriving them
OF raw materials. 1t is an insult to the
intelligence of the people of this city
to expect that such false and malicious
statements as are being issued can
successfully bec1oud the issue between
those who would serve the public and
those who oppose the public interests. u
Mr.. Morrison's supplementary state
ment, issued from the office of the
American Federation of Laborin Wash
ington, follows:
Practically all the information that
is contained in The New York Tribune
story relative to funds used by anti
trade. union employers has been re-
ceived at the A. F. of L. headquarters
1t is nothing new.
Among certain large employing in
terests there is a stronger opposition
to organized labor since the time the
late David i. Parry was president of
the National Manufacturers Associa-
ton and the late Charles Post are head
of the Citizens Alliance. The so-called
open shop has been supplanted. espe-
cially in the West and Middle West, by
the American Plal.,' the same thing
with new name. In both the theory
of individual bargaining is stressed. AS
the trade union movement rests on the
theory of collective bargaining, the is
sue is clear-cut contest between trade
unionism and those employers who in
sist on the absolute right to set the
hours, wages and working conditions of
their employees"
Central Federation Acts
The Central Federated Union, at its
meeting at the Labor Temple last night,
discussed Mr.. Morrison's charges and
directed its officials to dispatch a tele-
gram to Samuel Gompers, president of
the American Federation of Labor, now
on his way to Washington, urging him
to take immediate action to meet the
situation. The telegram was sent at
once,
Prior to the sending of the telegram
the entire local port situation, par
ticularly that phase of it with which
the striking Marine Workers Affilia-
tion is concerned, and bearing directly
upon the relation of organized labor to
the railroads, was discussed.
Thomas B. Healy, president, and Cap
tain William A. Maher, secretary of
the Marine Workers Affiliation, sup
ported the charges made by Morrison
and demanded that the Central Feder-
ated Union call upon the American
Federation of Labor to take decisive
action to frustrate what they assert
was "a conspiracy to destroy union
labor"
The telegram sent to Mr.. Gompers,
signed by Efnest Bohm, secretary of
the Central Federated Union. follows:
"The Central Federated Union of
Greater New York and vicinity, in
regular meeting assembled, has unani-
mously indorsed the struggle of the
Marine Workers Afiliation. The
chambers of commerce of all cities
are combined with other large interests
to destroy these unions and all others.
The railroads are in this combination
and if the conspiracy succeeds against
the Marine Workers Affiliation in a
short time the great business interests
will try to annihilate organized labor.
We urge you to take such action imme
diately as will demonstrate the soli
darity of labor and defeat the schemes
and plans of our enemies"
"Crisis Confronts Labor"
Bohm, in giving out this telegram
for publication, said that the Central
Federated Union in thus addressing
Gompers had in mind particularly the
charges made by Secretary Morrison.
President Healy, whose organiza-
ton has more than 5000 members,
4.5OO of whom are on strike, in ad-
dressing the meeting said:
"We are fighting the biggest in
terests in the country-the railroads
and combinations of great interests
financed by the s5,o00,o00 raised by the
Citizens Transportation Committee
We realized weeks ago that the col
lection of this fund by the Citizens
Transportation Committee is the enter
ing wedge to open war upon organ
lied labor. If the smarine workers are
defeated it will mean a succession of
defeats for union labor all down the
line, don't care how big the union
is. In all parts of the country cham
bers of commerce have been collecting
funds and throwing them into pools
The situation is more than serious,
There is crisis confronting organized