Evening star., 1921-06-18
HIRED MURDERERS
SCORED BY LABOR
A. F. L. Mining Head De-
nounces Employment OF
Organized Gunmen.
Rr the Associated rr.ss.

By the Associated Press.
DENVER. Colo, June lS-i'''i'''-
diate development by the govern
ment of the Mississippi system as a
6aep waterway in order to proNioe
work for the unemployed was urSe"
by James Lord. president OF the i''''-
ing department of the Amer'ea II
Federation OF Labor in his annua'
report made public today
Besides relieving unrmploEmeht'
MIR. Lord said. this gigantic enter
prise, which would provide Tor eS'"o-
lishment of ship canals. would alSo
prevent floods forever. would rec,lln,
millions of acres of the richest ianu
in the world. and would 30 ava! Win
yellow Jack and malaria
Government Denounced.
Referring to employment OF gun
men" nv EMPLOYERS, Mr.. Lord said !:
There is no country i'll tn" Worlu
whore the owners and directors OF
business are allowed to have anu
control armies ri friNateiE hitt"
killers as they are now Win I'M
punity doing in >"nr parts OF our
country"
country" he added. men whose sole
recommendations are that th"N VIII
commit murder or any Cth'E crime
for pay. are allowed by government
and with its fun knowledge. from It's
own investigation to superSede and
dispIaca constitutional government.
"True, our government does not ad-
vocate this institution. hut. strangely
tolerateS it, and in effect says IL cam
not help itself.
Declaring that the government kne "
of these professional murdcrers by
its inveSti cation in the upper PENN
Sula in Mich gan. the PANT ana Capln
creek outrageS in West Virginia and
the Colorado horror. Mr.. Lord de-
clared. Not one man-hired killer.
coal operator or corrupt government
officiaI-has been brought to trial and
convicted to this day.
Urges Congress Action. {.
He urged the workers TO unite to
their fullest capacity: politically ana
economically. to abolish this prop
lem of Sha me-.
We SHOULD initiate" he continued.
"and fight for paSsag. Gt federal
legislation competent ~ deal with
this evil. either in its interstate fea-
lures or the abolition of the charters
of these profess, Onal murder enter
prises."
Referring to the coal mining in
dustry, Mr.. Lord said:
THE industrial reaction which has
set in has hit the mining industry
poSsi bly, harder than any other. Tnou-
sands of miners are unemployed and
they who can get three days 4 week
are better off than the average"
The Alabama coal strike. h" de-
clared. WAS ended by one of the most
brutal deci SionS eyer rendered within
the remembrance Of man.
The convention yesterday unanimous
ly pledged It's support to the packing
house workers of the country in thei-
fight against further wage reductions.
The big five packers were con-
demned for their attitude toward work
erS.
In making an appeal for organized
labor to keep up its fight to free
Thomas Mooney and Warren X. Bill
ings, convicted in connection with the
San Francisco PREPAREDNESS day bomb
plot, John Mooney. a brother to
Thomas. tod the convention that these
men were kept in prison by criminal
conspiracy on the part of the state of
California;
Lewis Boom Looms.
Interest in whether John Lewis
president of the United Mine Workers
would oppose President Samuel Com
pers for reelection continued at high
pitch yesterday.
Lewis continued to maintain silence
but it was learned that he had estab-
llShed headquarters at Il local hotel.
Lewis boomers were active through
out the day canvaSsing the various
delegations.
An interesting Sidelight on the pos
sible election contest developed yes
terday with the arrival of j. E. Cline
dinst of Newport News, Va. repre-
senting the Virginia State Federation
of Labor. He said that he bad been
sent here by his federation to cast its
single vote for Mr.. Gompers.
The Virginia federation. ('linfdiuSt
said, originally decided not to send a
delegate because of the expense.
When neswpaper reports reached the
organizations officials that Gompers
might be opposed. he said, they in
Structed me to reach Denver as
quickly as possible with the,lone vote
of Virginia"
The federation also received a mes
sage from the Washington, ID. c.. Cen
trail Labor Council urging the re-
election of President Gompers as a
reply to the outside influences that
are attempting 10 disrupt the la Dor
movement and endeavoring to under
mine and destroy it's leaders"