South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-04-27
GOMPERS CHARGES
PRESENT CONGRESS
HAS FAILED DUTY
Labor Leader Declares Law
makers Fell Down
Completely.


WASHINGTON. April 26.-Sweep-
Ing charges that the prs sent con-
Eress has failed the nation with
cOmpIetcuess and abandon" are
made by samuel Gompers. president
az the American Federation OF Lab
OF iu the current issue ~ the Amer
icaa Federati0nisr.
America must get rid Of It's veto
congress and elect au action con
Crcss' he SAYS "The mo- congress
must give place 90 yes congress.
The labor leader asserts that con-
Ercss has failed on the peace treaty.
81 rscOnstruction, and the high cost
az living and that it also has fail
cd as in intelligent comprehension
Uf every great question affecting the
lives and welfare OF our people"
The sins Of the present congress
ne adds were "a commission as well
as omission. as there had been "al-
most an eagcrness 10 DO the wrong
things the enactment of the rail
road bin being cited as a shining
example"
There must be "a congress which
will turn it's face 90 the task con-
fronting the American citizenship In
the true spirit OF American tnstitu-
tions." Mr.. GOmpers said. "a con
slant genius for accomplishment
must replace an ill-COnsidered mania
for restriction and coercion.
America can not play forever the
part OF a peevish child in interna-
tional relations.
Must Consider Affairs.
"The affairs Of the world are the
concern Of the United States. There
may be proper limits TO which this
concern may go but there is no
longer any such thing as absolute
enforcement from what transpires
elsewhere.
THE blind and bigoted action OF
congress in refusing to deal intelh-
gently with the peace treaty has
made it impossible for the United
States to manifest the PROPER con-
Germ in these affairs
ION our own continent there is
the same need For weeks a sena-
t0riaI subcommittee has been going
up and down the country gathering
testimony, the evident purpose Of
which can be but 10 infame the
minds Of those who think little and
who take much on faith. At periods
all too frequent the United States
is brought 20 the verge of war with
Mexico. 1t is not difficult the evil
dences Of satisfaction on the part of
predatory interests at each of these
periods, nor is il difficult TO discern
the propaganda which fosters the
development of them.
"Falaehood utilization, studied
misrepr esentation-these are the
weapons constantly I'm use by those
who. 10 serve their own ends, would
precite war between these two
American republics. 1T is no longer
POSSIBLE TO feel with certainty that
HHarfr. In h TFNF
been made tho tools and pawns Of
those who seek Intervention. the lat
est term for which is 'CubanizatiOn.'
Record of Opposition.
at home, across our borders and
over the seas. congress has made for
itself q record of failure, a record Of
stubborn opposition TO that which Is
good
Democracy must mean equality
Of opportunity IL must mean the
sovereignty of the masses 1t must
mean absence of domination by a
select ruling class or caste or clique.
Congress has done much in re-
cent months TO indicate hostility to
these principles. Powerful forces in
the United States are seeking to
wound and cripple democracy. They
do not want equality OF opportunity.
They want an unfair advantage In
the Industry of the nation in the leg
islatures of the nation and in the
courts Of the nation.
When the labor movement pro-
tests against the PRESSURE of those
who would turn backward the tide
of progress and deny the sunlight TO
Hives but just emerging from the
dark. IL speaks with authority.
J The labor movement OF America
does speak and II must be heard
Where the effort Is made in indus
TRY 20 crowd men and women back
ward and downward, we will resist
and resist and resist, for 10 is better
TO resist and lose than never 10 have
resisted Where the effort is made in
the halls of congress and legisla-
lures. we viii resist and resist 10 the
end
I'VE will resist with all our power
the reelection Of those who have
been false TO the trust which human
iity placed In them