Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-06-24
PLAN To HAVE
REFERENDUM ON
WAR IS BEATEN
BY CONVENTION
Proposal to Take This Pow
er. Away From Congress
and Give It to the People
Is Voted Down,
1880 VOTES FOR
AND 21,742 AGAINST
American Federation Of La,
Dor Also Goes on Record
as Opposed to Universal
Military Training.
iBS The Associated Press.D

Denver, Colo, June 23-The con-
vention of the American Fedora
ton of Labor today voted down a
proposal calling for an amendment
to the constitution of the United
States taking the power of declar-
ing war from congress and placing
it in the hands of the people
through referendum vote.
The declaration. which went 10
a roll call after a stormy DEBATE
also provided that "all those voting
in favor of the declaration OF war
be compelled to take up the actlVe
prosecution Of the same, before
those who voted against the decia-
ration of war"
The official roll call showed that
12,742 votes were cast against the
war referendum and 1850 for it,
The United Mine Workers and
the International Association OF
Machinists, with a total of 6,99S
votes cast their ballots for the war
referendum, as did the railway
clerks. The carpenters union, the
second largest in the federation,
with the majority of the building
trades organizations, opposed the
proposal.
Car Mems Votes Split.
The railway car men split their
votes. 1.43S for the referendum
and 572 against. The painters also
divided, 35S for the proposal and
IT'S against. .
Organizations approving the ref
erendum also included the black
smiths, federal employees, postal
clerks, ladies' garment workers
laundry workers, lithographers'
rural letter carriers, meat cutters
and butcher workmen and scores
of state federation and local bodies
Before the question went to a
roll call it had been defeated by
viva yoce vote and by a division
vote. the latter showing that lSS
delegates against the war referen-
dun and 1913 favoring 1t.
The debate that preceded the
voting was long and bitter, those
fayoring the resolution declaring
that the zones who have to flght
should have a voice in declaring
war"
Proposal o nightmare"
Those opposing declared the
proposal Impractical and night
mare Attempts to settle the mat
fer by sending the resolution BACK
n the resolutions committee whlch
had reported it unfavorably, lalieu.
Louis M. Hermann of the New
Jersey State Federation of LABOR
was declared out of order wnen ne
moved that only delegates OF mill
tary age be allowed to vote.
In support of the war retereh-
dun s. H, Gardner of Cleburne'
Tex author of the resolution, de-
clared that so per cent of the peo-
nile opposed the entry OF the unit
ed States into the war.
"Wars are class movements ne
sa;d 1--WE are the ones who must
suffer-" -
Vice President James Duncan Oh
Quincy, Mass, said the propose.
was mot only a dream: pIt
amounts to nightmare. ne
asked what would be done IL lhe
country was attacked.
Roy Burt, of the laundry WORK
ers. said the idea might be imprac-
ticable but 'at the same time there
is merit in the resolution.
"What about the boys who go 10
slaughter?" he asked. Have they
not the right to say whether they
shall go to war or stay at nome
in peaceful pursuits"
Opposed Referendum.
Ouposing the war referendum,
Iohn Frey, of Cincinnati, said that
as long as there were highway ana
footpads among the nations OF the
world, we must be prepared 10
meet war without waiting Tor
referendum" s.o
Federation of Labor, declared the
referendum "the first step for in
ternational peace and disarma-
ment."
The government was condemned
for its treatment of world war
veterans by d. G. Smart or Chica-
20. of the railroad telegraphers, a
war veteran, who said he would
never volunteer again unless the
country should be attacked. He.
demanded a "voice in declaring
war as principle of democratic
government"
Against Compulsory Training.
The defeated proposal urged the
referendum, declaring that II
would better safeguard the people
and their interests" and protect
I them from representatives elected
to office who are more loyal to
tha financial and commercial in