The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-03-29
GOMPERSSTANDS
BY DENUNCIAT|ON
Of B0LSHEvIKI
Will Not Recede from Position
On Recognition
CRITICS ARE MISINFORMED
Again Condemns Action Taken
BY Several Western Labor
Organizations

Organizations
Washington, March 27-(By The
Associated Press)-5amuel Gompers
President fthe American Federation
of labor, today denounced as 'unpatr
otic Americans" those labor leader
who have severely criticised his refus-
al to indorse the Russian Soviet gov
ernment or to urge its recognition by
the United States.
Flat refusal to retract in the slight
est from his position was expressed by
Mr.. Gompers In a letter to the Central
Trades Union of Kalamazoo, Mich,
Phoenix Ariz Laramie, N'yo., and
other similar labor organizat ons
which had adopted resolutions con
demining the present administration OF
the Federation for its Russian stand
as subseryient to capital and against
ths best interests of the workers. Tn
action of these bodies, the letter sal
apparently was based on conclus ons
drawn from utter mi5iniormat' on" &:
the tr ne situation in Russia The
letter read:
In the many years | have been
an Official Of the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor. no document
has been received by me con
tanning more misinformaton or
conclusions tased upon such
lack OF knowledge 1t is true that
! have read much of the propa
ganda that is beng circulated
throughout the United States in
favor of the Bolshevik Government
OF Russia ana il Is true that the
letter adopted by the Kalamazoo
trades and labor council gives
voice to that propaganda
In these days II is past under
standing how American citizens
can bring themselvel to aid and
comfort propaganda that has
for its purpose the destruct on
/ OF the trade labor movement in
America ana the overthrow OF our
republic
The letter quoted from numerous Of
{ tAh AtAl GA -AbuAlA NAlAFAAAN VI AllE ANrsAdA
government as to the necessity for
"militarization Of labor" in order that
masses Of abor should be moved
about ordered and sent from place to
place in the same manner as soldiers, y
and commented on measures which
Trotzky had taken to force the return
10 work of railroad and bank employees
who had voluntarily" quite their posi-
tions
Does the Kalamazoo Trades and
Labor Council support this program
for the United States?' Mr.. Gompers
inquired.
The federation president declared
that the communist party in Russia
the real rulers Of the country mum
bered less than ten thousand mem
bers.' This was shown he said by
the fact that while each memberof the
party was en- titled to a nallowance oil
I two pounds of bread day, less than
ten thousand applications for that al.
lowance were made to the food com
missaire.
I Assertion Of the Kalamazoo Central
body that unemployment in America
would be relieved by ift'ugthe embar
60 on Ru sia, Mr. Gompers denied. on
the ground that there is no such en-
barge and il there were. lifting it
would have no materia. effect on trade
relations
1T may be news to You that the
greatest amount of American manu-
/ factured articles sent to Russia. out.
side of muniticn', was in 1918" he
wrote and then amounted to only
$40.000,000."
Trade relations with Russia were
formally resumed in July. 1920. the let.
| ter continued, with the removal Of the
embargo, and today there is no OBJ.
stacle in the way of the Russian people
dealing with the United States as far
as the latter is concerned Mr.. Comp
ers said:
Millions OF dollars are known to
have been sent from Rus ia to
the United States to pay those who
circulate bolsheyik propaganda.
If those who have consciously or
unconsciously aided in the circu.
lation have failed to be rewarded.
they have missed a great oppor.
nty for gain for their services
have been we'll worth financial
recognition by Lenine and Trotz.
Ky.
When the people of Russia elect
a representative government the
American Federation OF Labor will
be the tirst to demand its recogni
tion.
WEATHER FORECAST
Fair tonight and "Wednesday. Marm