The Connecticut labor news., 1922-09-08
COMPERS DENOUNCES R. R. INJUNCTION IN
 LABOR DAY SPEECH
Restraining Order Violation of Con- stitution and Laws of Land,
 He Says.

Philadelphia, Sept. S.-PTeS1dent Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of Labor, in a Labor Day address, said that the injunction is sued against the railroad shopmen last week was violation of the con- stitution and the laws of the land
 He characterized the action of At torney General Daugherty as "exer- cising a power never dreamed of in the history of the republic.'
 The veteran labor chief said the in fact and was a confession that the shopmen have nearly won their strike He urged that the unions furnish money to support the women and children of the men on strike.
 The men must fight and take care of themselves" he declared.
 President Harding and Attorney General Daugherty were criticized by MT. Gompers for the isuance of the injunction and he asserted that both had advocated legislation to bring about Compulsory labor" The party of Lincoln which freed the slaves, said Mir Gompers, is now try ing to force compulsory labor on the whites and blacks. ...
 MT. Gompers spoke under the aus pices of the Central Labor Union of Philadelphia at Point Breeze.
 In introducing the labor leader, John A. Woll, international president of the Glass Bottle Blowers Union, said that according to Washington dispatches labor leaders have been admonished to speak carefully or "the goblins would get them" He de- clared that the open shop is dead despite the efforts of the administra- tion to rescue 1t from oblivion" Telling his hearers that he came to Philadelphia to deliver a message of hope and encouragement to men and women who believe in freedom, justice and democracy, MT. Gompers declared that the present IS the time firmly resolve to stand for the Declaration of Independence and constitutional guarantees of the re- public.
 The labor president said that after the war drive was made by hostile forces among the employers to reduce wages, but that labor refused to "con- sent to bend the knee to any indus trial autocracy."
 Taking up the cause of the shop men, he said the spirit of real Amer ica was exemplifed by these workers and brought cheers from the rain soaked crowd when he declared that the ''tide of lower wages has stopped and we are on the road to a better day"
 He mentoined the fact that there have been disturbances and that strikers had been accused They are not interfering with the operation of the roads," he declared Let the railroad employers operate them"
 MT. Gompers asserted that Mr. Harding as senator and President, and Attorney General Daugherty both advocated legislation that. meant compulsory labor" Despite the Presidents appeal to congress on August B, he declared, to put teeth" in the railroad labor law, congress has so far refused to do so and Mr. Daugherty resorted to the injunction, more far-reaching than any legisla- tion. In doing this, MT. Gompers asserted, that he was exercising a power never dreamed of in the his- tory of the republic
 MT. Gompers referred to reports that he must speak carefully and not l violate the injunction. He said that and children"
 II wonder who is to do this frightening business" he went on, and William J. Burns, director of the bureau of investigation ,de- partment of justice.
 "I hold the issuance of the injunc- ton at the behest of the administra- ton Is wrong, not only in principle, but in fact" the labor leader de- clared. "It is a confession that the railroad shopmen have nearly won their strike. If they had about lost it, I doubt if the administration would have used all it's powers to get the injunction and frightened the life out of the men,"