The Washington times., 1920-05-24
GOMPERS ARRA|GNS'
PRESENT congress.
Calls Upon A. r. Of L. Members
To Bring About Early
0verturn.

Saying that. the Sixty sixth Con.
sress 10 a backward going body
which has failed utterly In deaiins
with the high cost OF living. samuel
GompsTs yesterday voiced labor
protest against a rampant Tragedy
He called upon the working people
to bring about an "ovsrturn In Con-
sress" and outlined a program Tor
the body that will succeed the Con-
sress of Incompetence on the cost OF
living issue" That program follows:
II - Immediate adjustments OF
wages. both In private employment
and In Government service. TO at least
meet the living costs that have out
stripped Incomes by reason of this era
OF frenzied profiteering and gambling.
To stop Price Increases.
"2--Immediate action must be taken
to prevent continued increases In the
cost OF living.
''3--There must be an end to the
enactment of the kind of legislation
typined by the Esch- -Cummins railroad
law and the Kansas court OF In
dustrial relations. There must be an
end OF legislative repression. restric-
ton and coercion. There must be a
repeal of legislation already enacted.
"4-Congress will do we'll to give
Immediate and effective consideration
to the proposal OF the American labor
movement that control of credit cApi-
tai be taken from private financiers
and placed In the hands of a public
trust to be administered upon princi-
pies voluntary and cooperative In
character.
"5-Congress should provide i'm
mediately for full publicity for in
come tax returns- Regardless of
whatever artificial issues politicians
may seek to inject in the present po-
litical ca mpaIgn, one OF the great is
sues about which the masses of the
American people are thinking Is the
cost of living
The Gompers statement constitutes
the leading article in the June num-
Der OF the American Federationist,
made public today. 1t says further:
THE cost of living has become a
paramount issue because the cost OF
living Is out OF proportion to income.
1t constitutes therefore a reduction of
income for the average American
family.
"The present Congress may be in
dicted as Congress which has been
negligent of duty and thought tfulness
of the welfare of the people. The
SoNcI uHlcHt uepdTthchto-d iof CA
emple, the Department OF Justice
may be indicted for incompetency on
the same grounds.
"An alert electorate win not over
look this Indictment There must be
an overturn in Congress. Enemies
must be defeated and friends must be
elected. There must be sent to Con-
gress men who understand and men
who can be trusted The record OF
betrayal must for the sake Of the ma
tions welfare give place to a record
Of constructive progress"
Palmers Coupe Criticized.
Referring to Attorney General Pal
mer, Mr.. Gompers says: -
"The Attorney General has found it
possible To indict corner grocers and
small haberdashers for offenses which
are Of no moment at all in compari-
son to the whole situation. He has
found 1t possible to advise the people
to eat the poorer cuts of meats, which
in effect constitutes a reduction Of
their standard of living.
"He has found 1t possible to do a
number Of ineffective. things, but
seems to have found 1t beyond his
capacity to do effective things"