New-York tribune., 1921-02-15
y,Dnlpers Sees
revolution In
J1nionisnl's all
ro.u,ry Will Face Upheaval
like That in Russia
f Organized Labor Is
0verthrown, He Asserts
Attacks Open Shop Move
r,e,,ounces Compulsory Ar
bitration in Speech Be-
fore Civic Federation

,...riean Federation OF LABOR IN an
sssioned address before the Civic
-.4ion at it's twenty-hrst annual
sting. at the Hotel Astor, yester-
ssi5 that If what he called the
- .,.nt concerted attempt on the part
.mnlSSers to destroy union labor
guceessful the country would be
81 r. face with an upheaval such
Ia, shattered the social and eco
.,;e structure Of Russia.
sgeported by Matthew VOL, vice
...;aspt Of the American Federation
.Tsbar who preceded him, Mr.. Com
~ assailed the principle Of com
,lsorv arbitration and declared dra-
...;.siIv that American labor would
..r.r submit to slave labor" implied
+ tbs idea of compulsory arbitration.
Maintaining that the labor movement
!. tha limited States as represented
81 81 no American Federation Of Labor
:: 4. constructive force, standing for
.s4;oosl and peaceful adjustment of
industrial alspUSSs anu IS ~HNA"s'
WT Gompers said:
suppose the present concerted
,ompnf on the part of employers to
.ynss organized labor succeeds-what
.sa59 Can you imagine the resultant
position Of the workers IN modern in
fSstry In any trade, in any occupa-
IONS Can you imagine their state of
mind their condition, with nobody to
snneal 10. with no one to come TO their
sss;stance. with hatred and protest in
heir hearts
Russia a Warning
Tt is scarcely possible for me even
ia imagine an orderly, rational condi-
t;oa Of the working people of the
United States without organization on
tbs trade union basis as conducted
NOW il America. Can we imagine to
wbat lengths the country may be
driven without such organization? Have
ws NO evidences Of what might fol-
lor in what is now taking place
throughout the world, and in Russia,
wbsrs Bolshevism rules where private
ownership Of anything is practically
aboBshed, and where labSr has been
enslayed? Men and women Of America,
you who have been led to believe that
COMPULSORY labor is q necessity TO the
unitgd States, think Of Russia. II
there is to be compulsory labor, then
It is good for all and not for the
workers alone. I have tried all my
lie to help build up a countrywide
movement based upon evolution rather
than revolution. We don't want to
venture anything on the game of revo-
d f,Asa, y~--zy fbn vrrrk
u lay BY day until the full noontide of
4 Emancipation is reached. I have put
sur alternative before you. You may
AXE it or you may leave it."
MIR. Gompers charged directly that
@the open-shop movement is intended
ostengihly to protect the right of the
workers not to belong to union, but
actually TO destroy the organizations
Of labor
He charged that the United States
industrial organizations are determined
not to permit their workers the right
20 organize
Attacks Esch -Cummino Law
With President Daniel Willard, of
,he Baltimore G. Ohio Railroad, who
vas one Of the speakers at yesterdays
session, directly facing him, Mr.. Com
pers attacked the labor provisions of
lle EschCummins Railroad act and
\ declared that as a result Of the compul-
4 sorry arbitration provision included
I herein and the establishment Of the
Railroad Labor Board as the arbiter
4 u all wage disputes on the railway
4 otth the railroads and the railway en-
4 goyees have lost the knack of getting
1 @getner and reaching agreements and
] aaye instead become "itigants," with
'ne unsuccessful litigant cussing the
court. Hesused this argument as one
4 q aiS chief appeals against compulsory
afoltrat.on. Compulsory arbitration
courts. ne said, have always been known
anrm rights which labor does not
sshE and 70 deny the rights to which
sser is entitled"
We are convinced" said Mr.. Com
fGs and we viii maintain it, that
IasF no circumstances will the spirit
y american labor be broken and we
.aSu hght compulsory labor except as
punishment for crime. America cannot
soannae as republic and force com
sa'sofy labor upon It's people. No law
Sompe! workmen to work against
Ssir VIII or at a standard and on con-
4 .dvns which are detrimental to their
'stA ana welfare can be enforced"
4 H' Gompers resented bitterly GER
alh attacks made upon him in the
Sasss tor trying to put the wreath of
aas'yrdom upon Robert P. Brlndeil, u
] M convicted head of the building
aSass In this city. He denied vigor-
4 S-siy mat IN statement made recent
a Y al REgTInmfprs In N-fa - L.
4 s5Ss u the kind, and condemned Brin-
al. ,% 70 emphatic terms, but protested
,s sa.Asg The letting off Of many of the
4 No. s0 contractors in the building
@sgss scandal with fines.
A A.. protested against the system
n b. .a ssnas poor devil to jail, while
,,,as ash VINO have money are permitted
n ''y and freedom" he said.
A Replies to Untermyer
III !, lylhg again TO Il recent statement
h ,s.. usl UntermyeF, Mr.. Gompers
,g.x.e sa9se denied that "the American
ASs,on ~ of Labor shirked it's duty
n Ssnnap building trades situation. Mr.
q ag salq the federation had moth
,ei,ou 10 With the building trades sit.
psss psa. ana that the building trades
A nslrely outside Of it's control.
4 ,estsr ,a Investments in foreign trade
A d lsaVe lms.9Ve and selective legislation
4 Il ssaligration ss and q policy against
4 selss setlon Of an "impenetrable tariff
4 asY. ggte urged in an address by John
4 goss. hammond, who has been men
4 1or the portfolio of Commerce
4 " harding Cabinet.
I 'qs6es esalas5eiy, there is a growing dis.
4 ass,s' @ regard the tariff as an eco
i MD satner than a political issue,
A ID ~ hammond, "as evidenced by
ssi,S i,Suaaaciae}o. Of the free trade
IN s,ay many sections of the South,
Il ssp5 creditor nation" Mr.. Ham
# aaaa. we are faced with the
b h " being innalad nnon one OF