The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-02-12
MUCH DIVISION
IN LABOR RANKS
Radicals Not Satisfied With
Declarations of Ameri-
can Federation
CONSERVATIVES FEAR
EFFECT OF STRIKE
Would Lose Public Sympathy-Cite the
Unpopularity of the Steel and Coal
Strikes = Some Want Independent
Political Party.

WASHINGTON, Feb 12-Notwith
standing the pronouncement of its plat
form and program by the American
federation of labor few days ago, the
course of that organization, with its al
lies, the railroad brotherhoods and the
few farmers that it can claim as sym
means clear. Here lies one of the most
delicate and difficult problems with
which labor has to deal, none the less
so because labor opposes the return of
the railroads to private ownership and
will do anything feasible to delay it,
The conservative section of organized
labor feels that il would be a tremend-
Gus mistake for the brotherhood to
strike at this time. The consequences
of such strike are reaching and
understandable. One thing they real
! ize, the sVmpathies of The public would
not be with them
With two unpopular strikes in the
background, the steel strike, which
failed. and the coal strike, which was
Ripped in the bud, seeing labor
leaders are in no mood to take on one
which would arouse more public sen
| timent against them. They cannot af-
ford it. 1t issthe object of these labor
leaders to husband their strength, tc
! make no mistakes at this time, when
they have announced that they are
about to enter a campaign for the cleo
ton of government officials favorable
TO them They do not want to have
their patriotism and devotion to the in
terests of the country impugned. Sam
ucl Gompers and others who have ap
peared before various committees OF
congress have insisted that they ART
100 per cent loyal, and it is neces ar,
to make their deeds square with thei
world, If they are to WELD politica
power,
On the other side are the radicals
who are not pleased with the pronun
ciamento. Ii was not intended tina
they should be- John Fitzpatrick W
H. Foster, and others Of their kind, j
is held. have made trouble enough. lie
: them 90 with any brand of radica
party they may select Ii is not ex
peeted they viii lend strength or sup
port to Mr. Gompers nonpartisa
: scheme.
Another element to be rcckoned wit
2 is the one which believes there shout
= be a labor political party in this con-
! try, and which is reinforced in that b.
lief by the success of labor in polite
o in Great Britain. They are by n
5 means enthusiastic about the manifest
and it might not be surprising to Sc
a split in the ranks of organized labC
S before the political campaign oper
/ with the formation Of some sort of
5 labor party
t. With all this talk about the RICH
it and interests of labor, there are son
n men within the ranks of labor wi
10 fear the effect of going too far wit
ID what is accused of being class or groI
legislation. While much is said abo
the forthcoming conference of labor al
u farmers in Chicago, as a matter of ia
t no important farm organizations can
III counted on to work or vote with labC
te Disclaimer of such intention has be
er made by the National Grange, the |
ho tcrnational Farmers union, and 9th
prominent organizations.