New-York tribune., 1921-03-21
Conpers Says
Hearst Is Foe
OF Federation
Publisher Accused of ssSlan-
derous and Contemplate
Attacks Upon Character
and Work of Organization
Control or Destroy, Aim
Refusal TO Support Candi-
dacies for Covernorship
and Presidency Resented
r.o., The Tribune's Washington Bureox

r.os. The Tribune's Washington Bssreow
WASHINGTON, March 20.--In an
EDITORIAL written by Samuel Gompers
md printed in the April issue of The
American Federationist, he official or
,sn OF the American Federation of
I.bor. William Randolph Hearst is di-
,eetly charged with making "slander-
ans and contemplate attacks upon the
character and work of the Federation"
President Gompers charges that Hearst
in his publications is "bent upon con-
rolling institutions. movements and
men. or, if unable to control them, to
destroy them" The Federation presi-
dents asserts that Hearst sought to
destroy the labor movement when
Gompers declined to support the New
York publisher in his campaigns for
The Presidency and in the gubernato-
rial campaign in New York.
Under the heading "Hearst's AMI
mus" Gompers severely arraigns
Hearst, in part, as follows:
endeavored to obtain the fullest infor-
nation on any subject, particularly
those affecting the rights and interests
Of the working people and the people
generally. He has read the newspa-
pers and the magazines representing
s points of view. whether favora-
bic or antagonistic. In recent
wears, however, he has declined to pur-
chase any of the Hearst publications
and has read only such portions of
them as have been brought to his at
tention.
Hearst Accused of Perversity
Opinion, point of view, is the right
Of all men and must be respected and
safeguarded; but when a publication. or
series of publications such as Hearst's,
are bent upon controlling institutions,
control them, to destroy them-that is a
matter not of expression and point of
view, but utter perversity.
For years Hearst, personally, politi-
cally and through his newspapers, has
undertaken to control the labor move
ment and those who speak for it, When
Hearst aspired to the Presidency of the
United States he had his representative
meet and confer with the president of
the American Federation of Labor, with
view of claiming him to his Presiden-
tial chariot. This he declined. When
Hearst was candidate for Governor of
New York the same process was tried.
with the same result.
When 1t has dawned upon him that
people declined to follow the fortunes
Or msfortunes of Hearst's political as
plrations ne has by every conceivable
means endeavored to undermine their
influence and destroy them.
SO he has begun a repetition, through
MS newspapers. of the slanderous and
rontemptible attacks upon the charac-
= qnd work of the president of the
American Fedora tion of Labor and his
associates. His real ennlity is not neces-
sarily against those officers of the labor
movement, but he hopes to minimize or
eliminate the American Federation of
Labor itself
And what has Hearst done for labor
that places him in the position of the
guardian and mentor of the American
labor movement?
Hearst's Record Reviewed
when he was a member Of CONGRESS-
ne attended not more than two meet
mgs OF the Committee on Labor Of
which he was a member, absenting
himself from all its other sessions dur.
ing the period of his term of office, two
years. In the strike of the printing
pressmen of Chicago he was the most
relentless antagonist of all the pub
hshers in that city. In the Boston
newsboys' strike for better considera-
u uon and treatment at the hands of
hearsts Boston papers, he suppl
iantly appealed to the president of
lhe' American Federation of Labor for
support, and he finally beat the bows
mio submission. The strike of the
neWspoys OF New York was practically
repetition of the same situation.
In the mechanical department of his
newspapers, requiring expert skill he
mas operated union shop and this
EVIDENTLY, for his own financial ad-
vantage. In all else, he has assumed
sae position that all who are employed
W MIN owe him not only industrial
SSe.fvlce, but political subserviency.
mat ne has not received the latter
70 tne extent that he desired is due to
no failure on his part to demand it.
IN view of all the utterances and the
attitude of William Randolph Hearst
ana ms newspapers we deem it duty
W iaoor as we'll as to the public gen.
eelaiiy TO make this brief reference to
'lf' hearst's effort to dominate or de-
ssroy the American labor movement,
sng those who have been its respected
sAa trusted defenders and exponents"