The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1920-06-16
soviet MOVE CRUSHED
BY OVERWHELMING Vote
Delegate Declares Greatest Trouble
Today is Bolsheviki Plotters
LENINE'S SCHEMES
ARE CONDEMNED
President Gompers Makes Bitter At
tack Against ZOning Sys-
tenn Of Mailing Rates

Montreal, June Reinforcement to
call upon the United States to recog
nize the Soviet government or lift
blockades against Soviet Russia, was
blocked in the annual convention of
the American Federation of Labor to-
day after heated debate. James A,
Duncan, Of the Seattle Central Labor
Council, led the fight in behalf Of the
Soviet with the aid of representatives
of the Ladies Garment Workers, but
the convention adopted by an over
whelming vote the report of the reso-
lutions committee opposing any ac-
ton.
The committee report declared the
| federation would not be Justified in
taking any action that might be con-
strued as an assistance to or approval
OF, the Soviet government, so long as
it is based upon authority which has
not been Vested in it by a popular
national representative assembly of
the Russian people, or so long as it
endeavors to create revolutions in we'll
established civilized nations of the
world, or so long as it advocates and
applies militarization to labor and
prevents the organizing and junction
ing OF trades union and maintenance
of free speech, free press and free
public assembly,"
Against Democracy
John Frey, chairman Of the resolu-
tions committee, said it had ascer-
tanned on the "highest authority" that
the Soviet government is an "auto-
cratic, militaristic goNsrnment that
does not believe in Democracy" and
IS ruling by the "iron hand Of the die
tatorship."
Extracts from Lenine's speeches
which he read, showed Mr.. Frey de-
clared, that Lenine believed in making
trades unions subservient to the
Soviet government and labor compul-
sorry" Opposition to the report, he
said, might indicate that the Bolshe
wiki had infested the ranks of organ
lzed labor in America with its propa-
| ganda."
Mr.. Duncan said the committee had
made a "camoufage report" to de-
celve the workers of the country as to
the true situation in Russia. Condi-
lions there were much better than re-
ported IN this country, he said, and
added that President Wilson and Pre-
mler Lloyd George approved recogni-
ton of the Soviet government but had
not the courage Of their convictions
to stand anil declare for it,"
Not the Will of the People
James Duncan of Washington, D. G..
first vice president of the federation,
! answered in defense of the committee
/ report. He read telegram from Sec
:'etaly of State Colby, which said the
existing government did not "repre-
sent the will or consent of any con-
siderable proportion of the Russian
people"
! David Grange, Il New York delegate
said the greatest trouble i'm America
was the Bolshcviki plotters who are
trying to disrupt organized labor.
Il don't care what President Wilson
or Lloyd George have approvcd,' he
! said, "but | do know we have a good
enough form of government here in
! America for me, and am not going
to take any chances with Trotzky and
| Lclinc's Bolshcviki crowd. They are
not any more the friend Of labor than
| the Car in Russia"
The federation also pledged its sup
port to Senator Frances Joint rcsoh-
ton for amnesty of "poltical prison
ers" and repeal Of the espionage law.
The convention instructed the cxecu-
tive council to continue its opposition
to the bill now in Congress providing
for the zonirg system of mailing rates
on acrono class matter and requiring
all trade union publications to be
printed in the English language.
In opposing tie zone system, Presi-
dent Gompcrs said it was "pct
scheme of some one" to make profit
out Of the poGtoflice department, re-
%araless of The "public good"
ut is rot necessary ;or the post
office de- rtmcnt to be sustain
ing" he added. "Thc army navy, and
manY other departmCnfs aro nnt Tho