The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-02-23
Proposal He Declares
Fallacy of Blind 4
orists. ' l,Is
FRIENDS
ON EITHER T1CK
Leader Expresses f
self Forcibly in Lei
to Head of Indiana
Dor Party.

5-l2--as5.4zz-----
Washington, Feb. 2e-N1 seriS2f6
labor party was the decree todav 57Sf
samuel Gompers, president W afl5fs
Amertcan Federation Of Labor to- 81
In reply to the executives ~ 4
Indiana State labor party. who
condemned the political policy sak
american Federation Of Iabof
Gompers declared that the ''efENcf
a. separate political labor N
only be disastrous to the wage-anxs
ers OF the country" The ofIiciAaD4
the Indiana party are In favor ozNS b
separate labor political organizaklo
Placing the proposal to form ~
separate party in the category
failacies OF blind theorists, "A 11lsss /
Gompers made clear that the feSlee
ton would follow its announcedA p0
Icy of supporting frienAe Of labor n
either of the major tickets.
enemies OF labor on both tickets ~ /
this point he says:
"Of this one thing you must NS2
assured. that the day OF reckon1uS
at hand for all those who are III
tagonism to the cause OF labor. NM
for those who are subtle and eqsx<lfx
guilty even though they clotheS af6 r n
friendship.
Mr.. Gompers' letter, addresss1 AZ
William Mitchell, Of the IridIn1
state labor party, Indianapdlia
lows In part. S1sssss1ss 4 \
Dear sir: ~ sTssAsssySs
Your telegram Of February llsslS
which = u are Joined Ivy MesarSs 1U@S1& 4
Hessler, Charles w. Kern, a. n. ESaS 7sS
sier and E. s. Kidd. received. III ~
as follows; s@ssA
I'VE. the convention Of the Indis
ma state labor party. IL. session Fel<s
ruary -. 1920. "tand oreosed to ~
official declarations o. the Ameklc1na
friends and defeat their enemies Nr4
assert that thee can De no comnY0-
mise on candidates who run on ~
ticket whose platform In made 1slSf
whose campaign is financed ~ Ut
interests. We assert that the pO1xffA
cal policy of the A. F. OF L. II ltSs
practical and has been absoluk13SK
unsuccessful Therefore we rfSiIi
for the labor party organized BY alSd
for the workers themselves a. flSNS
only consistent method of protecffn2
labor's interest in the various n6fff
icai departments OF our governle1iffs
.tsigned) WIN. MITCHMIsI
.IolNN HESHEE
CHARLES w. IkENS&s
A. f. FESSI1EN2s
declare the work an9 the puloN N
the american Federation OF LENAfS
to be impractical? Surely thu Mn W. sS
suits achieved in the interests " tH>Es
workers demonstrate the utter fa1SSS
OF your assumption" TSss
BY your declaration you u
the practicability OF the course - 1.
declare you will pursue What ~ NJ
perience have you had with yours - M
litical party upon which to - b
absurd a claim? NJ szs III
.Forsooth. some men underdf
not only that which is charged. AS2E
the virtue which is proclAiTnad IS
political financial honesty ana III NJ
honesty. Perhaps thorough inv 3
cation of political and financtn1 mi h
tue may be proper subject ok u M
quiry after a poiiticai party shall ASg4Na
been in existence more than u
When you shall have learned 6S
lesson Of the real struggle Of s1al
and the cause for which orr I00S n
ment stands, you may become sH m
done by your pretention ana ~
course. FsSsla2 n 2lg
There can be no hope for sia0s$
of labor party candidates. TIA m ss
feet, therefore, OF a political &
party will be to defeat our friends N
to elect our enemies. ia ssss's M
Labor can look upon tho f0r7Hafao1nS
of political labor party only Sas v /
act detrimental to the intsrexlps n
labor and exactly Ia limo with " S71 u
which is most arientiy desks M h
those who seek to oppress labor 4.
This Is no time for cxperim@nx0a1E
with political theories witch III II
proven false. at the outset. Tho y4t
ers Of America must use the $500 \
OF success. They must have n
Results Will not be obtained sAy*
iecting a labor party s0-called
the struggle. N
Those who are determined "
blind to the facts OF the prea9llf II
past will, of course, rush On fS%
aster and calamity. This tho As1texi q
'!s \: 9 sak sll sas aasx &
to do with those treacher0u4 -
that are suited only to tlaS plkf1 I
labor's enemics. g S
our taieeram at mat gxeI n
OF Americans who Are den
thai the present 1auRkinn r
suit. not m thN - v xp51 n -
l3haTtiAa. hui IN y = y "
way ~ na1fonS I'm r - = =
Az ppl y
man IN. = 4!
asnt