New-York tribune., 1920-06-13
A. f. of L. Puts
Labor Issue Up
To Democrats
Montreal Meeting Assails
Republicans and Orders
Demands Submitted to
San Francisco Convention
Attacks Chicago Platform
Carpenters Chief Charges
Gompers Is Trying to
Play a Political Game

MONTREAL, June 12.-Organized
labor to-day threw down the gauntlet
to the Republican party, and now will
appeal to the Democrats for recogni-
ton of it's platform demands.
This decision came when the Ameri
can Federation of Labor in annual con
vention here unanimously condemn ed
the Republican platform adopted in
Chicago as document defiant in its
defense Of the enemies of labor" and
one that proposes an industrial en-
slavement and an abrogation of rights
as precious as life ITSELF"
Declaring that the Republican party
had turned it's back upon labor,n the
convention instructed Samuel Gompers
and Matthew Woll, president and vice
president of the Federation, to submit
in identical form" to the Democratic
party convention at San Francisco the
proposals of labor which were pre-
sented the Republicans in Chicago.
In lengthy report bitterly assailing
and condemning the various planks of
the Republican platform President
Gompers and Mr.. Woll brought the
matter before the delegates. The labor
leaders Indictment of the party was
greeted with enthusiastic cheers and
applause, while Kisses and "boos" in
terrupted the reading of several Of the
Republican planks. Without debate
the report was approved.
Mr.. Gompers and Mr.. Woll in their
report said:
while there is in the Republican
platform a certain shrewdness in Sc
lection of language, there is never any
opportunity for doubt as to the true
meaning oF their provisions relating
to labor"
The statement went into great de-
tail, pointing out labor's grievances
against the Republican platform and
vigorously assailing the Republicans
for neglecting anti -proiteering legis-
lation recomm endations.
THE Republican platform practi-
ment added, "and, while recognizing
the evils Of currency imitation, offers
no remedy for that condition. Specific
proposals submitted by labor for re-
lief from the high cost of living and
profiteering are given no place in the
PLATFORM"
The Mexican plank of the platform,
the+ labor leaders charged, "clearly
oims to undermine the sovereignty of
the Mexican people and to make the
maintenance of order in Mexico the
business of the government of the
United States"
at proposes the fulfllment Of what
have long been the hopes and aims
of those whose sole object is the ex-
ploitation of the people and boundless
resources of Mexico" according to the
labor chiefs.
The Republican endorsement of the
transportation act of 1920 was declared
to be a complete denial and repudi-
alton of the demands submitted by
labor and is an emphatic endorsement
of the labor provisions of the Cum
mins-Esch railroad act" The section
of this plank referring to peaceful
arbitration of wage disputes" was said
to be denial Of the lawful right of
the workers to cease working
This denial of the right to strike" "
the labor chiefs asserted, "the party
proclaims as one of its greatest achieve
ments"
"We hold no brief for the Democratic
party" continued the statement, com
menting on the Republican condemna-
tion of the Democratic administration
for failure to enforce the anti-prof
teering laws" but I'VE call attention