Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-06-18
Labor Votes to
Support Fight CHI
OF Meat Cutters
Further Wage Reductions in
Packing Industry Will Be
Opposed by All Organ
lied Crafts.

Denver, Colo, June 1.-THE
American Federation of Labor, in
convention today, unanimously
pledged its support to the packing
house workers of the country in
their fight against further wage re-
ductionS.
The "big five packers were con-
demned for attempting to reduce al
most 100000 workers and their de-
pendents ito a degrading state of
poverty with all its attendant depriva-
tions," and thus cause an "unfor-
tunate condition that because of its
far-reaching results will also impede
the progress of the nation"
The executive council was instruct
ed to leave nothing undone to aid
to the utmost the workers in the
packing industry"
After declaring the packers were
again taking advantage of the pres
ent period of business depression and
unemployment to reduce the wages
of workers." the resolution said:
Oppose Company Unions.
"The workers in the packing in
dustry are threatened with a re-
currence of prewar conditions and
all effort is made to lure them into
joining so-called company unions,
which in reality are for the company
only, established, managed and con-
trolled by the packers, who hypo-
critically are proclaiming that they
are bringing democracy to the work
ers, a democracy with a string tied
to it,
Copies of the resolution were or
dered submitted to President Hard
ing, Secretary of Labor Davis, Sec
cretary of Commerce Hoover, Sec
retary OF Agriculture Wallace. SEN
ator Kenyon and other legislative
representatives interested in the
packing industry and the packers.
In making an appeal for organized
labor to keep up its fight to free
Thomas Mooney and Warren K.
Billings, convicted in connection with
the San Francisco preparedness day
bomb plot, John Mooney told the
convention that these men were kept
in prison by criminal conspiracy
on the part of the state of California.
Attack Califori.- IS.
The speaker, who is a l. other of
Thomas Mooney, said that the
chamber of commerce of San Fran
cisco had engineered this conspir-
acy." He also mentioned two United
States senator's, one of whom he
accused of having contributed $1,000
''in blood money to aid the conspir-
acy" The other. he said, got Sl0,OOO
for coercing a witness in the Mooney
case.
Mr.. Mooney said that when his
brother comes out of Jail he Will
again take his place i'll the ranks OF
organized labor as she believes IN
only one organized labor movement
in the United States--that is the
American Federation of Labor"
He declared that Billings is under
going cruel and inhuman torture" IN
Folsom r1ison in California, and rs
not allowed to see visitor or
friend"
tom wants the labor movement
to carry on the agitation" said the
speaker in concluding his appeal, so
that we will eventually smoke out
the crooked officials of California.
Interest in President.
Interest in whether John Lewis,
president of the United Mine Work
ers, would oppose President Samuel
Gompers for reelection continued at
high pitch today.
Lewis continued to maintain silence
but it was learned that he had es-
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