New-York tribune., 1920-06-10
Compers. Presenting Plank,
Says Rights Shall Not Be
Impaired by Any Party,
Congress or Executive
Right to Strike Is sUpheld
Insists All Restrictions on
Speech, Press and Pub
lie Assembly Be Removed
From q Staf Correspondent


abor leader offered Z thousand-word
document as labor's plank and asked
that it be adopted nearly verbatim. +"
Half a dozen Governors, twice as
many United States Senators and a
number of other convention leaders
|, crowded into the assembly room of the
Auditorium Hotel at noon to-day when
Gompers took the floor
Men and women of labor" said Com
,srs. "have no other purpose than to
serve the common interest of the en-
ire country. Labor is not organized
sor profit. and there can be no advan-
tage gained by organized labor which
will not bear its reaction on the un-
organized workers.
I'VE ask that the concept of con-
.piracy shall be eliminated in accord
ance with the legislation of Congress
snd declare that labor is not COM
modify. and that you will put into the
law Of the land that the worker is a
free man and owns himself
THE great question before US is:
Are citizens to remain free, or if by
legal enactment Or court decree people
shall be compelled to give service even
against their will?
Cannot Stop Strikes
Some men, prompted by no evil
motive and with no Intentional harm
toward labor. are striking at the very
fundamentals of American institutions
to compel such service. But through
such clause as was IN the railroad
Till or the provisions of the Kansas
Industrial Court the effect would be TO
! tie the man to the job and make him
work whether he wanted to or not.
" know the motives CT the men who
would make strikes unlawful. They
are inconvenienced by them, but prob
ably not more SO than those on strike.
But these men should remember that
sFen in slavery days men in bondage
t1ok chance with death to escape,
3nd they cannot now stop strikes.
~You may lull some of the people
into fancied security, but you are sow
Ing the wind by such legislation, and
/. you do, you cannot but reap the
Ehirlwind
This Is not a threat. 1t is state-
maHt OF faSI-
The freedom of the workers OF
Amsrica shall not be impaired by any
party. CT by Congress. or by executive
order We are determined that the
vorhing1nen and women of the nation
shall be as frse a. any other citizen.
America means more than dollars. Men
and woman and children are more i'm
portant tnan The railroads and more
important 20 the future welfare of the
nation than even the railroads or the
dollars .har art IN the Golfers of Wall
Street or any other section of the coun-
try"
Noll Presents Planks
Labor's plaaks, which will also be
presented to the Democrats when they
mess IN San Francisco, were read by
Mathew Vol, lcepresident OF the
American Federation Of Labor. They
fo.lew:
Government and all civilization ex-
ISIS Tor the service Of human beings
sij the promotion OF their betterment.
scch purposes are best achieved when
ihose who are primarily affected by
policies and methods have the power
q determining them. Under such
conditions only will there be relations
q good will between fellow citizens
ana Z spirit OF true patriotism essen
TAI 20 the best development and unity
of our nation. There must be reason
lag the conviction that citizens can rely
EFon the government for impartial
maintenance Of ights and protection.
such an attitude can result only when
7rlnclples OF human welfare are made
palamount 20 any ot.ler consideration.
Apsrlence OF other countries and sci
s1tiac information substantiates the
>0Gtentsen that sweated industries,
sver-ssrained, long and burdensome
hogrs Of toll tend to physical deterl--
Grafton less Of mental virility and
Consequent decreased producing labor.
Standards OF life and work, daily
sours o. Toll ard wages have a direct
relation 20 economic progress and de-
Esiopment az we'll as 10 preparedness
i9r national defense.
To promote Industrial justice and
tranquility and 10 insure uninter-
szpted Production az It's highest efficl-
sacy, tae r.eht Of the wage Garner TO
o!ganlze ifto trade unions, 70 select
GER own epresentatives, and bargain
collectively. must be fully safegua-ded.
Pledge TO Maintain Federal Law
We pledge cur party 10 maintain
ne FEDERAL ia~ enacted by Congress,
scaElag % tho workers the legal ight
. voluntary association, for mutual
Ffo'ectioa and welfare, protecting their
',gnts agaInst unwarrartable issuance
y ~fifs OF Injunction, either prohibi-
Ply or mandatory. and guaranteeing
as f'gnt o. trial by jury in alleged
.I1shlsnps eases, committed outside
~ presence Of courts.
s-sgialation which proposes 10 rake
'-f'1ss unlawful Or 70 compel the wage
ss1ssrs to subnt their grievances or
,-pfa.'ons % courts or to govern
ssnasai agercies, IL an invasion Of the
kss et the wage earne-s and When
ssosesf makes for industrial gerfdom
slavery
~ aeld taat the government should
sppig Information, assistance and
.snses,' bar that i. should not attempt
y .es toree of It's own power TO stifie
- - Destroy voluntary relations and
es u mGtuality between en-
'sysrs sr and employees.
.sas very life and pcrpetuity Of
- democratic Institutions are de-
..'.shs spon freedom Of speech, Of the
-. ska ~ asgem bisge- and associa-
= = "e insist that ~ restriction
ss,-sssaofs s.ssTsaofs " speech. press, public as
sss%,asf' azseciation and travel be com
s'y removed, individuals and groups
s.Ss fssponginle for their utteranccs
-. 49, sAessons- These Fundamental rights
ass. Ds get our with clearneas and
vaessS nsS es denied OF abridged in any
want seaman's Act Enforced
ss..eaai .s..aeaai preparedness, az veil AZ