The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-25

sion was TO fight all other public officials
who had dared TO oppose any legislation
favored by the A. +. OF L. or vote for
bills that Mr.. Gompers designated as
unfair. There was no secrecy about the
A. F. OF LIS purposes. Mr.. Gompers
has made frequent announcements.
Such politicians as Senators Moses,
Cummins. Brandegee. Wadsworth. PEN
rose and Smoot were marked for defeat
and every local union affiliated with
the A. F. of l.. was assessed 80 much
TO finance the labor campaign for the
Democratic ticket The money did not
go TO the Democratic National Commit
tee. Labor financed its own spellbinders
and political organizers.
The country was zoned and districted--
Peter J. Brady. supervisor OF The City
Record here in New York. for instance,
was made responsible for the work east
of the Allegheny Mountains and north
of the OHIO River. John Keegan, an
official OF the International Association
of Machinists and for some time an
agent for the Department of Labor.
maintained a general supervision over
the remainder OF the country. Mr..
Keegap started out on his missionary
work directly after the nomination of
Cox and Roosevelt in San Francisco.
Immediately after the San Francisco
convention labor's drive for Cox and
Roosevelt began. One of the principal
directors of the drive explained that it
was not because labor is usually Demo-
cratic at the polls but because the COM
mittee on resolutions in San Francisco
was found 20 be more pliable than the
committee In Chicago. How
ever. the drive was solely an A. F. of L.
affair at first
Suddenly the Plumb Plan League de-
cided to round UP all organized railroad
workers for Cox. At the same time that
league decided its name was liable to d.
vert votes because of the Socialistic
color OF the Plumb plan. Therefore. the
league began to operate politically under
the inoffensive name OF THE Railroad
Unions" 1t maintains elaborate Offices
in the Munsey Building in Washington,
and there never was any apparent lack
OF funds. 1t was decided to pay par
tfcular attention to New York. Mary
land, New Jersey. Missouri, Wyoming.
Colorado. California and other States at
that time regarded as of doubtful politi-
cal persuasion.
Alliances Avoided.
The chief aim Of the Plumb Plan
Leaguers was to defeat Republican can
lidates for the United States Senate and
for the House of Representatives
Where II was feasible alliances with
such political raiders as the Non-Parti-
san League were effected. but no al
lance that might be permanently entan-
Cling was entered into. The organizers
kept reminding local unions that "our
friends to-day may be our enemies to-.
so form no friendships that you
cannot break"
Here and there where local union
treasures were in healthy condition as
were made upon them. In
other cases the individual members were
All told, it amounted to thou
sands of dollars. Mr.. Cox either pur-
posely neglected mentioning this ire
aid to his campaign or decided
that 1t would have a tendency to make
folks feel less sympathetic when he cried
poverty. At the present time the A. r.
Of l.. and the Plumb Plan League have
nearly 5000 workers in the field. and
abor Is still supporting them and stand
ng the financial strain. .
1t is found that the labor vote refuses,
as usual. to be delivered In bulk Never
have the old line labor leaders found
heir commands so fiouted as they are
being to-day. The drive for Cox has
shown these labor leaders that inde-
oendents have made much Roadway in
heir attempt to wrest the American
Federation of Labor from the rule Of the
iompers machine. The Plumb Plan
League Is finding greater solidarity
within the Big Four railroad unions. but
even there the independents and the rad
icals have split of large sections of what
once was well organized solidarity.
These independent leaders who refuse