Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-02
LABOR CONFERS ON
ELECTION PROGRAM
Preparing Records of Un-
friendly Congressman to
Insure Defeat
WON'T lND0RSE PRESIDENT

Special Dispatch to Everinp Puonc Ledoer
Atlantic City. Aug. 2.--The executive
council OF the American Federation ot
Labor, with President Samuel p. Com
pers presiding. began this morning m
Important conference in the jackson
Hotel. during which the question OF
tavoring, candidates for Congress will
De considered and their records for and
against labor interests officially declared
upon. Data will be submitted regard :
Ing each individual candidate.
4, coercion" Of local labor organiza
mons as to the course they shall pursue
in dealing with members of Congress
regarded as unfricndly to the objectives
OF federated labor has no place in the
plans of the executive council, Secre
tary Frank Morrison stated after this
mornings session. He said:
We have adopted what seems to us
a perfectly fair method of dealing with
this important question of where labor
shall stand In meeting this situation.
Our part of the program is to furnish
to the ruling labor body in every dis
trict OF the country record, very
complete record, of every member Of
Congress upon legislation which has
direct bearing upon the interests of
labor. We shall leave it to these local
bodies to determine whether the record
Of their representative is satisfactory
to them; and IL not. how it is best
to deal with him."
Secretary Morrison insisted organized
labor was never stronger nor more de-
termined to have a square deal for the
workingman.
In the Chnlfonte Hotel. the national
board of jurisdictional awards in the
building industry. which is affiliated
with the federation, begun their "on-
ference. r. ]. Russell. of st. Louis.
chairman, is presiding. There eight
members, three representing the fedora
tion, three the contractors. one the
architects and one the engineers. James
Spencer is secretary. Secretary Spencer
stated prior to the meeting that they
would be here for week, and that thei
functions are to adjust controversies be-
tween unions in regard to assignment of
work. There are a number of appeals
before the board, but none of what can
be said to be serious. They will not
deal with political questions nor act
acute situation in the coal mining dis
tricts. -..'..
Secretary Frank l.. Morrison, of the
American Federation of Labor, stated |
that the conferences here are to deal |
incidentally with many problems con-
fronting labor in every part of the
nation. As to the coal mining troubles.
which have been referred to the execu-
i've council, they will be presented
lmong the incidentals that will be sub
nitted for a decision. The same rule
will govern the appeal of the postal en-
,loyes, which threaten strike.
As to the presidential nominees
here will be no endorsements. nor will
here be any official recognition in the
way Of labor support extended by the
xecutive council on behalf of the fed
ration to any individual candidate.
rhe plan is to investigate the records
# each one, and have them presented
o the voters in each district through
h labor, organizations, the voters to
ecidc themselves who should be sup
orted.
Regarding the sessions Secretary
lorrison said that the topics could not
g announced in advance. All of them
l their way are important. He declined
D state that the council would engage ,,
Stensively in discussing the troubles In !
lie coal mining sections which are re-
orted to be brewing. and neither would ,
p say that the council would deal with +.
lie recent railroad commission award
Chicago relating to the wage scale
ley had announced. i,