New-York tribune., 1920-10-18
Compers Calls On
Organized Labor
To Vote for Cox
Editorial i'm The American
Federationist Asserts That
Democrat Is for Progress
and Harding for Reaction

From The Trtbune'S Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17.-Samuel
Gompers, president Of the American
Federation of Labor, has come out
fatty for Governor Cox. In the lead
ing editorial in the November issue Of
The American Federationist Mr.. Com
pers calls upon organized labor to vote
for the Democratic nominee for Presi-
dent, declaring that Governor Cox "is
for progress" on the issues in which
labor is interested, while Senator Har-
ding is "for reaction"
America cannot afford to pass
through four years of reaction" Mr..
Gompers declares. The American Fed
erationist is the official publication Of
the American Federation Of Labor. The
article says, in part:
"The time approaches rapidly when
the voters of the United States will
ing the kind of government the nation
is to have during the next four years.
This means that the voters will have
to decide what kind of government the
people are to have. There are many
issues in the campaign that are leading
swiftly to the day of decision, but all
of the issues lead up to and merge
into one great issue:
ais America to go forward or is it
to go backward?
''This great issue reaches into every
American home, into every American
workshop, into every activity of men
and women throughout our great coun-
try.
Progress and Reaction
"America has many times recorded
it's decision on the issue of reaction
against progress. Sometimes the deci-
sion has been to favor reaction; more
often it has been to favor. progress.
"But in no hour of American history
has the decision been of such over
whelming moment. At no hour has it
meant so much to every man and wom-
en- and child.
"The fight in this hour is the culmi-
nation of many fights, the apex of a
great struggle through which we have
been fighting, step by step, losing a
aggregate.
con no single one of the great issues
that contribute to the significance Of
this hour has Senator Harding taken a
stand for progress. He is surely uni
formly, unfailingly and completely on
the side Of reaction.
"On the question of the League of
Nations, including the great labor COW
enant, Senator Harding is for reaction
"On the many-sided question of labor
legislation and labor's aspira tions, Sen
ator Harding is for reaction.
ION the question of the high cost of
living, Senator Harding is for reaction
"On the question of our relations
with the Republic of Mexico, Senator
Harding is for reaction.
Legal and Labor Questions
"On the question Of the relation of
the courts to the struggle for human
advancement, Senator Harding is for
reaction.
Con the great and grave questions
growing out of the relationship Of en-
ployers and workers, Senator Harding
is for reaction
>"And not only is Senator Harding for
reaction in relation to every great issue
to-day, but his present position rests
upon a background and a record of re-
action
Governor Cox, on all of these tre-
mendous issues, is for progress. And
not only is he for progress to- day, but
his present position is built up on a
record of progressive work in his state
and IN the national capital"