Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-10
LABOR TO MOBILIZE
AND FIGHT ITS FOES
IN FALL ELECTIONS
Federation Sends Call to Organize
and Elect Friends to
Congress.
TO INDEX ALL ASP1RANTS


failed to do its duty" the American
as~dcrHtior, of Labor has issued procaa-
nation to all affiliated organisa-
tons calling upon them to organize
/, great political machine In every section
of the nation to defeat asplrants for office
who have refused to meet labor demands.
The proclamation. which goes to the
10000 locals, with membership of 4, ,OOO,-
900, affiliated with the American Fed
Grafton of Labor, Is put out by the Cen
oral Committee in charge OF the cam
paign, which includes President Com
ners and the members of the Executive
Council of the Federation and fourteen
other prominent labor leaders, among
them three women. President Gompers,
Frank Morrison, Secretary of the Fed
Grafton. and James O'Connell President
of the Metals Trade Department OF the
Federation have been selected as an
Executive Committee to direct the cam
paign.
II is reported that labor has large
fund with which to back its acuvities,
but the labor leaders. AS emphasized IN
their proclamation, have definitely aban-
doncd the idea OF supporting third
marty. such as the Labor Party, and
call upon the workers TO direct Their
energies to obtaining their desires through
the existing political organizations ana
hy methods of campaign as directed
through the Central Campaign committee
now set up
II is the intention of the American
Federation of Labor to make complete
index of the records and activities OF
,snirapts To Office and to use Its power
TO the utmost to overthrow unfavorahie
candidates For the moment, at least,
the effort will be directed, so tar as
the National Government Is concerned,
al the legislative branches OF the ma
chinery. but labor leaders here assert
that IL a candidate for the Presidency
should be nominated by either great
political party who is objectionable to
labor. opposition tn his candidacy would
I've made known in definite and un-
equivocal terms:
No mention of the Plumb Plan for the
naturalization of the railroads or oi
proposals for naturalization of natural
resources is made in the proclamation
issued tonight. Such programs have
not been formally Endorsed by the Ameri-
ran Federation of Labor. and are being
pushed by .he Plum Plan League, domI-
mated by the railroad brotherhoods.
SEES DEMOCRACY ENDANGERED.
The procIamation in part says:
The inherent rights and principles
# our people arc threatened.
''The free institutions of our country
arc menaced.
The ideals of democracy are IN
danger.
has failed TO do its duty. It has failed
n meet the emergency. 1t has given en-
enlargement and support to autocratlc
and reactionary policies. Its domInat-
ing thought has been the repression OF
labor.
Every effort TO secure remedial and
constructive legislation has been stran-
gIed. Every appeal for redress has met
with subtle and open hostility. The halls
~ Congress have been used by Labor's
enemies TO foster and spread vicious
propaganda against the efforts of the
oilers TO exercise their normal and law
fu! 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 believe in the maintenance of demo
ratio institutions must marshal their
forces in defense of their rights and
deals.
Conscious of its responsibilities, i'm
pressed by the grave problems resulting
from the great war, the American Fed
,-ation of Labor st Its annual conven-
lion In June, 1919, adopted a reconstruc-
tjon program. This program defined the
essential industrial policies and legls-
lativc enactments required to establish
a full measure of justice and oppor-
tunity for labor.
Because of grave emergencies which |
arose since that convention, II became |
IMPERATIVE that the representatives of |
orranized labor and of farmers should !
assemble snd confer for the purpose of /
guarding their rights and liberties as /
free men and citizens. On December Is, |
1919, conference of representatives of /
labor and of farmers met In Washington,
ID. c..
This conference expressed 'labor's /
grievances and protests demands
SAYS rTs PROGRAM WAS scoREED.
mo favorable legislative action upon |
the recommendations contained in the |
American Federation of Labor recon- /
structson program, or those expressed /
At the December conference, has been |
taken by Congress. Instead many Con- |
uressrnen have endeavored TO enact /
legislation providing for compulsory labor |
Despite the patriotism and sacrifce |
of the masses Of labor of America during |
me world war, under the guise of anti |
sedition laws, the effort has been made |
10 repress free association, free speech |
snd free press.
"Scorned by Congress, ridiculed and |
Inisrepresented by many members of |