Omaha daily bee., 1920-02-09
LABOR. THROWS
ITS HAT INTO
POLITICAL RING
Announces Non-Partisan Cam.
paign Committee to Elect
"True and Tried" Friends
of Unions.
CONTINUED From Page Onel

Continued from Ps&e Une'
pies of our people are threatened H.
the circular begins.
"The free institutions of Our coun-
try are menaced. i
''The ideals of democracy are IN
danger,
Says Congress Failed.
The congress of the United
States has failed to do its duty 1t
has failed TO meet the emergency.
1t has given encouragement and
support to autocratc and reaction
ary policies. Its dominating thought
has been the repression OF labor.
Every effort to secure remedl-
al and constructive legislation has
been strangled. Every appeal for
redress has met with subtle and
open hostility. The halls of con-
gress have been used by labor S en-
emies to foster and spread . vicious
propaganda against the efforts of
the toilers to exercise their normal
and lawful activities for the pro-
tecton and promotion OF their in
tcrests and welfare Labor has ap-
pealed for relief in vain,
"The hour has arrived when those
who believe in the maintenance OF
democratic institutions must mar
shall their forces in dciense of
their rights and ideals.
Restrictions Are Intolerable.
1T is intolerable that a people
who spared no cost to make the
world safe for democracy should be
forced to submit to any restriction
Of the glorious liberties inherited
from the founders of our nation.
The perpetuation of our fundamental
rights and the enactment of essen
fial constructive legislation demand
the election of men, regardless of
their political affiliations, who are
truly representative of American
ideals OF liberty.
Conscious of its sponsibilities,
impressed by the grave problems re-
sulting from the great war. the
American Federation of Labor at
its convention in June, 1919. adopted
a reconstruction program. This pro-
gram defined the essential industrial
policies and legislative enactments
required to establish full measure
Of justice and opportunity for labor.
Because of grave emergencies
which arose since that convention it
became imperative that the repre-
sentatives Of organized labor and
farmers should assemble and confer
to devise ways and means for safe
guarding their rights and liberties as
free men and citizens. On Decem-
ber 13. 1919, a conference of repre-
sentatives OF labor and of farmers
met in Washington, D. c.
Ignore Labor Plans.
This conference expressed La
bors grievances, protests and de-
mands.'
""No favorable legislative action
upon the recommendations con-
tanned in the American Federation of
Labor reconstruction program. or
those expressed at the December
conference, has been taken by con-
gress. Instead many congressman
have endeavored to enact legislation
providing for compulsory labor. De-
spite the patriotism and sacrifice of
the masses of labor of America dur
ing the world war. under the guise
of anti-sedition laws the effort has |
been made to repress free associa-
ton, free speech and free press.
"Scorned by congress, ridiculed |
and misrepresented by MANY MEM
hers of both houses, the American |
labor movement finds it necessary to |
apply its long and well |
established ronpartisan political
policy.
Plan Proved Success.
Confronted by a succession of
hostile congresses. the American
Federation of Labor in 1906. an
nounced its historic Bill of Griev-
ances.' This was followed by a Wig
orous and successful nonpartisan
political campaign. In 1908, 1910 and
,ol2, the same program was ener-
getically applied and as result |
many Of labor's enemies in congress
were defeated and all of the essential |
legislation in Labor's bill of griev-
ances' Of 1906 was enacted.
Constructive legislation has never
been so necessary as at present.
Never has it been so essential to Sc
cure the defeat of labor's enemies |
and the election of its friends and
supporters.
Sinister forces are already active
ly engaged in efforts to confuse and
nullify labor's political power. Their