Evening star., 1921-06-24
Responsibility for Death and
Issuing of Guns at Ham,
mond, Ind, Sought.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
SET FOR TOMORROW
Women Firmly in Favor of Resolu-
tion Giving Them Full
Union Rights.
BY the Associated Press.

ny the Associated Press.
DENVER. Col. June 24.-The- con-
vention of the American Federation
of Labor today called upon President
Harding to Investigate the strike
riots at the Standard Steel Car Com
pany, Hammond. Ind. in September.
1919. and to fix the responsibility for
the issuing of guns" and the death
of four steel car workers.
The committee on international re-
! lations. it was learned. will report
unfavorably the two resolutions SUBJ
mltted to the convention by the In
ternational Association of Machinsts
and the Firemen and Oilers Union.
demanding that President Gompers
Immediately be instructed. to re-
affiliate the federation with the In
ternational Federation of Trades
Unions.
The machinists' delegation has an
uounced its intention to put up a
fight to overthrow the committees re-
port and obtain the adoption of their
proposal
Enactment of legislation by Con-
gress providing strict federal con-
troll of the production and distribu-
tion of natural resources now private
ly held and privately developed" was
demanded by the convention. The
executive officers were instructed to
exercise every legitimat means to
obtain the enactment Of legislation az
once for such federal control through
publicity or otherwise"
Women Unite in Support.
The woman. delegates have united
amend the federation's constitution
so as to give them "all the privileges
of membership in the union of their
trade or industry" If they. are de-
MED membership in any union they
ask the right to obtain a separate
charter from the federation.
The resolution charged that the
workers were shot down with riot
guns furnished by the United States
government.
States was requested to unite to "as-
certain the actual facts in relation to
the use Of those 'barbarous weapons
and fix the responsibility upon such
Individual officers. servants pr repre-
sentatives of the government who
shall be found personally, responsible
and to fix the responsibility upon such
and natural right.
Election Tomorrow.
The convention voted to make the
election of officers special order of
business for 1880 o'clock tomorrow
morning.
The Secretary of War and Secretary
of the Navy and Civil Service Com
mission were called upon by resolu-
tion to Immediately discharge from
the government service all alien en-
ployes who fail to qualify for citizen
ship.
Electioneering on the floor of the
convention during the morning ses-
sion today again threatened to inter-
rupt the proceedings, and President
Samuel Gompers had considerable
trouble to keep order SO the commit
tees could report.
He issued a warning from the plat
form to federation organizers that
they must not interfere with the cleo
tion of officers.
"No organizer has a right or privi-
lege." he said, ITO espouse the candi-
dacy of any aspirant to office in the
American Federation of Labor. To
whom it may concern. / say, take no
tice."
GOmpers DenOunces Hearst.
William Randolph Hearst was de-
yesterday by President Gompers as a
"triator to the cause of America. to
the cause Of freedom. an enemy Of labor
and Of Ireland"
The statement, together with many
other denunciatory remarks regarding
Hearst made by President Gompers.
in reply to a question from the floor
as to his stand on the Irish question,
was cheered and applauded by the dele
gates.
The veteran labor leader declared
that Hearst had attacked him because
he had declined to be Chained to his
mad chariot for the presidency of the
United States and because he had
tried to "see to it that Mexico shall
go undisturbed and not overrun by
the American forces"
The labor leader declared Hearst
had conducted campaign against
him through his newspapers and pub
lications and had "combed Chicago to
to say something against me without
success"
Could Not See. Him.
In declaring that he had declined
to support Hearst for the presidency,
Mr.. Gompers said:
He tried to chain me to his chariot
for the presidency, and, to speak the
language off the street. I could not
see him.. and I frankly told him so.''
do all in his power to prevent Hearst
from having the United States and
it's military forces go into Mexico and
plant our flag there and never take
it down."
Referring to his former reply to
alleged attacks made by Hearst upon
him and upon his associates who
said:
when he questioned, our loyalty
| or the right to speak for American
labor because. he said. that we were
/ not born here: I answered him by
saying something like this: Z am
willing that the government of the
United States or the people of the
United States shall decide between
you and me as to who was more
loyal to the, republic of the United
| States in it's greatest hour of dar-
ger"
Many times during his address
President Gompers was compelled to
pause until the demonstrations of
delegates had subsided. He was
delegates arose from their seats to
lead the ovation.