Evening star., 1921-02-24
BIG GUNS
OPEN ION RAILROADS
President Urged to Veto
WinsIoW-ToWnsend Bill as
"Uniustified."


up on the railroads at the conference
of 200 representative of national ana
international unions at tn" American
Federation of Labor building today.
when a resolution was adopted urg-
ing President Wilson to veto the
justified and unjustitiahle concession
to the railroad owners who have
shown wanton disregard for laws
and lawful processes"
The bill provides for the immediate
payment of part of the s60O.oo0,0oo
due the railroads under the transpor-
tation act. In case Congress should
attempt to override veto. the reso-
luton calls upon Legislative repre-
sentatives of all organizations ANN.
ated with the American Federation OF
Labor to use every effort and an
legitimate means" to prevent the null
LITIGATION of the veto.
Indorsed by Executives.
The resolution is indorsed by all
executives of all national and inter-
national trades unions affiliated with
the American Federation of Labor.
according to the preamble. 1t bases
it's opposition on the charge that TINS
is evidence of a purpose to destroy
trades unionsm that is Identical with
the so-called open shop movement in
the steel and other industries, and
on the ground that the bill grants
railroads additional financial bene-
fits from the Treasu Of the United
states to an amount and in manner
not contemplated by the original act.
Another resolution adopted gave
American labor support to the work
ers OF Porto Rico in their request
that the United States Congress ap-
point a comn ssion with authority to
Investigate the industrial conditions
as we'll as the general governmental
affairs of the island. especially af-
feeting education. health and sani-
tation."
The resolutions also support the
plea that the Constitution of the
United States and the laws passed by
Congress intended to protect the
American work ers shall apply fully
to the Workingmen of Porto Rico"
The delegates adopted a resolution
calling for the immediate restoration
of exemption from or the repeal of all
anti-combination and so-calied con-
spiracy laws"
Commended to Public.
Public support and recognition of the
following tenets was asked by the con-
ference:
The right of workers to organize
into trades unions.
The right to practice collective bar
gaining by trades unions, through rep
resentatives of their own choosing.
The right to work,and to cea Sc work.
ipg collectively.
spurgeon Odell, representing the
State Bank of North Dakota, appeared
before the conference today to request
1j6. 100000 bond issue by the state-con-
trolled bank of that state. The pro-
ceeds of these bonds. it was explained,
will be used in the construction of
grain mill and elevator and promote
VARIOUS activities in the state
Mr. Odell said that Wall street had
refused to handle the bonds on account
of the states refusal to back up the
open shop" campaign.
Means for following up the various
issues outlined at the conference
were being discussed by the interna-
DDS whereby the projects acted upon
could be put into effect were con-
sidered.
|, Open Shop Discussion.
The anti"open shop" publicity
campaign is understood to have been
the keynote of discussion. 1t is now
believed that this will materialize.
into national educational campaign
among organized workers. giving sup
porters of the American Federation
of Labor a more comprehensive and
more firmly rooted idea of union
principles. at the same time instill-
ing into the minds of the workers the
labor belief that the open shop cam
paign is primarily a campaign de-
signed to destroy trades unions and
to break down and eliminate the
whole principle of collective bargain
ing"
Alleged INSCRIPTIONS financial
speculation and profiteering were Wig
orously denounced. The conference
branded those so engaged as "un-
scrupulous pirateers of finance, who;
having squeezed the consumer
throughout the period of the war, are
now broadening their field and en-
riching themselves by squeezing
both the producer and the consumer"