The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-04-12
LABOR MEETING
HERE SUNDAY
Non Partisan Political c1N5pzign Com
n1ittee Aims Explained at Public
Session Yesterday After
noon
SPEECHES MADE
Remedy for Existant Evils Said to De
at Ballot Box by the Speakers
Vino Addressed Audi
cree.

Aims and purposes of the non par,
rssn political campaign commaIIee
oE union labor were explained ana
emphasized al the public meeting
held yesterday afternoon n the Grand
opera house. A coed sized house
greeted the Speakers. and the refer
euceS 10 unionlsn and 70 the work
that can be done by labor TO correct
many oT the existing evils Of the day
received generous applause The pub
Tic meeting followed conference al
the Hotel Iowa in the morning, al
which representatives from the hrsl
district were present
Albert hlefer of the keokuE Trades
and Labor Assembly opened tie
meeting with q very brief talk, sta,-
ing the purpose ~of the meeting. He
introduced Mayor Theodore A C-z5.
Who welcomed the visitors TO keoauK
and expressed his pleasure at greel-
ING an organization Of this kind. Mr.
kisfer then introduced the chairman,
Mr.. Potts OF Fort Madison.
Mr.. Potts outlined the relationship
between the farmer and the labor
ing man, and said that they were
realizing that their interests were
common. Unrest" Mr.. Potts said,
was due to the politicians OF Amer
lea and of the world" He said the
parade of reds in European cities
was due to the activities OF the world
politicians. Our nation need no.
fear an enemy from without, but If
anything is to be feared. it is from
within"
There was no hope Of redress N
the old parties, Mr.. Potts declared,
and he spoke of some OF the things
which he said were denied labor. He
said there had been handed down a
decision recently by supreme court
in Misouri against picketing, and he
classed this as denying the right OF
free assembly" The press is con
troIIed by capital" ne declared. 1T
is impossible for labor TO make known
what it's needs are. LABOR will get
control of the courts and preside over
Them" he predicted
The remedy for existing evils, Mr..
Potts said, was either to put an indie
pendent ticket in the field or to elect
friendly candidates on both tickets.
Joseph Wiesbruch, mayor of Fo,t
Madison, was called next, and spoke
very briefly. He told OF his being
elected TO the mayoralty there, after
he had been drafted as candidate
by mis- friends.
The next speaker was Mr.. Cox Of
the Burlington assembly, who urged
labor TO get out and use its influence
The ballot box
j. A. Gibson, vice president of the
conductors organization.
spoke next. He complimented Keo-
kuk as city, and spoke of its ideal
location on the west side of the river,
and having four railroads running
into the city. Something that no
other city north of St Louis has"
He spoke of the attempt to secure IN
eight hour day law, and said that
such law would cut freight rates
in half.
Fem for Farmers.
d. A. Fem Of Salem, chairman OF
the farmers legislative committee OF
the first district spoke next I'VE are
not in favor of gambling in the neces-
sites of lie" he declared we
must put them out of business" he
declared They drive big cars, and
i've in their big halls, and enjoy
uxuries that we can't. We must
stop their gambling and make them
lelp U.S. We are going to put them
INTO a position that viii be too hot
or them.
I'VE must wake up the farmers"
he declared. when our national.
government was organized ninety
percent of the land was owned by
'armers. In 1860 one-haH was owned
~ farmers; in 1890 one-quarter was
,wned by farmers, and at the present
.ime only one-sixth is in the hands
If the farmers.
Finances of our nation are
wrong he declared, and gave sta
istics OF the number OF farms going
IN the block each year He criticised
he national currency, and the M
ional bank and federal reserve sys-
EN-. and declared that we were IN
air way to repeat the monetary mis-
axes of 1865 to 1878. Solving the
money question, he declared would
,ring the trade of the nations to
America. Debt slavery would be
greater curse than chattcl slavery,
he said.
Following this speech the presf
lent called Fred H. Overton to the
platform, and Mr.. Overton said he
ield union card and would be glad
o do anything he could to help the
aboring man.
IL
canfIeId Offers Advice.
+. A. Garfield, president of the
owa State Federation of Labor spoke
lext. Labor, Mr.. Garfield said, had
neglected its duty at the ballot box.
Ie hoped the women would not be
Is neglectful. He. said that "the I'M
public seemed to think that
Iii union labor aimed to do was to
.aise wages. If this were true" he
aid. "it had failed Regardless of