The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-04-17
GOMPERS ATTACKS JUSTICE TAF I IN NEW HAVEN SPEECH
Declares Agricultural Bloc Is Really Representing Bankers. Praises Attitude of Will
 son Toward Labor
By Associated Press


 New Haven, Conn.,, April 16.- Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, launched vigorous attack against "the interests opposed to organized labor" in an address at an open forum session of the Connecticut Federation of Labor here today.
 Mir. Gomeprs scored Chief Justice Taft when he referred to 'a recent decision of the United States supreme court" He said the courts which have been Issuing injunctions against striking labor organizations "are courts of iniquity" instead of courts of equity. He declared that organ ized labor Is asking for more and would continue to. ask for pnore. Ee recommended that organized labor strive for modification of the Vol stead act instead or trying to repeal the Eighteenth amendr ent. -Ie de- scribed the congressional farm bloc as a Financial bloc"
 Every labor organization in Con- nectiout was represented at the meet ing. The railroad brotherhoods which are not affiliated with the American 1T u0CiatlOu OI 1dDOT nAQ QeieKaleS present and in forum session they asked about the policy of the Amer lean Federation. of Labor relative to the recently organized non-par tisan party being featured by the railroad broA1erhoods. Mir. Gompers answered that he American Federation of La- Dor would follow the policy laid down by our conventions of electing our friends and defeating our enc mies," and would have no part in any partJ campaign.
 Attacks Commerce Bodies
 The chambers of commerce, and ss- pecially the United States Chamber of Commerce, were scored by Mir. Gom- pers for an alleged attack upon the workers of the country "in an effort to destroy organized labor Vs5
 On the bonus question MT. Gompers sal. that "the American Federation of Labor believes that the men who of- fered their lives, gave up their jobs to do so and hre now out of work. should be compensated. To do so would put .hem in funds whereby they "ould get new start. business would be revived. an enormous amount of money would be put into circulation, and honest business thus would benefit while the public at large would be affected financially very little if Congress passes a just taxation act.
 The farm block in Congress-" MT. Gompers said, 'is not a farm bloc at all, but a financial bloc IF ade up of lawyers representing the banking and trust interests of the country which seek to- dictatepto the mud farmsrs.s
 Referring to otle success Of labor in securiny the passage of laws req ulating the working of women and children he declared: organized labor is going to ask for more and more until it gets sufficient to have the comforts of life that the worlx> is entitled to and the rich man en- joys. Where wages are good and hours of toll short, honest business is prosperous. The wagecutting, open shop policies of the financial inter- ests ere but reacting against them selves, fo- to cut the earning power of the worker reduces his power of consumption and If real normalcy is ever to be attained then that policy must stop. The safest way, the only way to return to normalcy Is to pay the highest ". ge industry will bear. Then the family man will have the money to spend, the business man will get 1t, the county will benefit and the circle be completed by it's com ing back into industry"
 Loyal Men
 There are only IT men in Congress who have always proved themselves 100 per cent lo.-a to the working people of the land" said Mir. Gompers. There should be many times that number and there will be in the next Congress If the r mixed workers as- sert themselves as they should and must.
 "Organizel labor had a large part in the election of Woodrow Wilson to the presidency. During his ad- ministration many laws beneficial to everyone who tolls were passed. This was not due tp any pull but solely because MT. wilson had real insight into the needs of the people. Labor asked no provileges and asks none now. but 1t will not stand fer being driven back f. serfdom"
 When delegates of the brewery workers brought up the prohibition law, he said: We wo Id only le running around in circles trying to havs the amendment repealed. Thir- teen states could pr vent it. Elect the right men to nere.s and we will be able to have the volstead act amended so that the workers can get sniff at glass of beer while the rich man WI O has his cellar locked with booze is watching the ice melt in his highball."