The Connecticut labor news., 1921-06-24

| nations of the world; and be 1t further
| Resolved, That we, the American
Federation of Labor, in convention as
sembled, appeal to the workers of Eng
land, Scotland and Wales, and ask that
they exert their powerful influence to the
| end that their government officials, al
present in power by the votes of the peO-
pie of England, Scotland and Wales, inn
rnediately withdraw the army of OcCupa-
ton from Ireland, and permit the Irish
people to peacefully pursue their lives
under the form of government which they
khave established through laws made by
themselves, and executed by their duty
elected officers.
President Gompers continued:
Immediately after the closing OF
| the Montreal convention, and after a
meeting OF the executive council, by
direction | went to San Francisco to
lay before the democratic national
convention the demands which labor
made Upon my appearance in the
committee room where the commit
ltee on platform was seated, Mr.
| Frank p. Walsh was addressing the
committee upon the Irish question.
| | spoke to some Of the men who
were the associates of Mr. Walsh and
asked them whether they thought that
| could have an opportunity to say a
| few words upon the subject. They
told me that that was impossible be-
cause the time had all been allotted to
Mr.. Walsh and two or three others
lwho were to speak briefly. The ar
engagements for the presentation OF
that subject was made without the
knowledge of my associates or my
self, and so there was no opportunity
| for me to speak. l think 1t was I'M
mediately after Mr.. Walsh concluded
his argument that l was called with
my associates, to speak upon the de-
mands we proposed to present. After
the close Of that session | was in the
of San Francisco and Mr.. p H.
Mccarthy. | learned from that that
Mr. De Valera, the president OF the
Irish republic, was in San francisco
at his hotel. 1t was then about 10
o'clock in the evening, and | express
da desire that they accompany me
on a visit to Mr.. De Valera. They
did accompany me and were in the
room when l expressed to him, as
we'll as my memory would serve, the
resolution adopted by the Montreal
convention and just read to you by
the secretary. The American Fedora
ton of Labor elected two fraternal
delegates to the British Trades Union
| Congress, and of these two one was
Brother Timothy Healy The frater-
nal delegates from the American Fed
Grafton of Labor to the British Trades
| Union Congress are the ambassadors
| of organized labor of America, and
endeavoring to be of assistance to
Ambassador Healy aided in that part
| of the report Of his address prepared
with the assistance of the represent
tatives of the American Federation
of Labor contained that declaration
which Brother Healy, as America S
labor ambassador to the labor parlia-
ment of Great Britain presented as
the declaration adopted in Montreal
and read by the secretary.
| when the American committee for
Irish relief was organized that com
mittee asked for the use of my name
in an appeal to the American people
for financial assistance to relieve the
sufferers of Ireland. l readily and
cordially gave my name and that
name appears upon the committee let
ter heads and appeals. There has
been no steps that | could take other
than what is contained in that declara-
ton. To President De Valera l said
that the American Federation of La
Dor rendered its aid to the Irish peo-
is one real charge substantial against
me land to which l plead guilty.
have not freed Ireland.
81 challenge any man to show that
I have been faithless to any declara-
ton made by the American Fedora
ton of Labor, or that I have proved
| fo1ca to tia faith rA01i0oof 70
of it's directions, when the American
Federation of Labor has said and de-
clared that policies should be pursued
even if it drove me to Jail I did not
falter in the fight or in the faith.
am sure that if the entire conduct OF
the president of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor had found it's in
itiative in the minds of the delegates
to this convention there might not
have been the necessity for this ex-
PLANTATION. I feel sure that you all
know from what source this whole
attempt to destroy my character and
reputation and standing teammates
from-no other person than this
traitor to America and the cause OF
freedom and the cause of Ireland
William Randolph Hearst.
did you ever know of newspa-
Iper, or chain of newspapers, owned
by millionaire devoted for
more than four weeks, every day and
twice day, articles and editorials
against a labor man? He has sent
out his minions, his hirelings, to get
in touch with some who might be
gulled or if not gulled bought, so that
he might say something derogatory to
my character, and who did he get to
say word against me and my work
and my character and my faithful
ness? Who? A CRATER of Boston, a
crooked lawyer of Washington, one
who was caught in the dragnet of the
investigation by congress of the ma
ltional Association of Manufacturers
and whose chief operator was this
man Mulhall; a lawyer, formerly a
plate printer, repudiated and stigma
tized by that magnificent organiza-
ton as a man unworthy of belief or
credit, and who else? Some rag-tag,
bob tailed politician who was eating
pap out of the millionaire bag of Will
liam Randolph Hearst. Who is there
a recognized, respected trade unionist
in America who has uttered anything
LOT the character Hearst desired? In
addition to the letter that was a0-
dressed to me by Mr.. John Fitzpatrick
of Chicago, | have letters from Henry
| librarians, secretary OF the Boston
Central Labor Union, in which he de-
scribes the efforts of Hearst to get
some one to say something against
me; and when anyone has SAID a word
IDf commentator of nv work or nv