The Washington herald., 1922-09-02
COMPERS SEES RED
Denounces Chicago Ac-
tion as Violation of Clay
ton Antitrust Law.
KEEP TRAINS GOING,
HARDING'S PURPOSE
A.F.of L. Executive Coun-
Gil Call to Meet Here
Next Saturday.

American organized labor threat
ems a general strike in retaliation
against the government for It's
course In obtaining a temporary
injunction at Chicago yesterday
against the striking railroad shop
men and their union oficials.
With President Harding acknowi-
edging that the injunction is the
most sweeping ever obtained in this
country and expressing a determina-i
tion not to stop at this, IL further
steps are necessary to maintain
railroad transportation. the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor was
aroused to the point of seeing red"
and will consider the sdvisability
Of a general strike call.
Denousced By Gompers.
Samuel Gompers. president OF the
merican Federation OF Labor. de-
nounced the governments course.
He declared the Injunction 10 be
in violation OF the law and an
nounced last night that the Fedora
tion executive council would meet
in Washington Saturday. September
9. to consider the question OF a gen
eral strike.
The conference OF American labor
leaders will be held just two days
before the day set by the Federal
court in Chicago for a hearing on
the governments motion TO make
the temporary restraining order
against the shopmen permanent
The President, IL was declared.
is prepared to meet any conse-
quences. political or economic. that
may come from the governments
action The government is de-
termined TO keep the trains NOV
ing. It believes that the injunction
Is fully Justfned. Mediation hsxing
proved futile and negotistiohs
fruitless. the government will pro-
ceed to fulfn its full duty in pro-
teecting the rights OF the public
transportation.
sounds Note of Defiance.
The American Federation Of
Labor president was so aroused by
the governments move that he
summoned the press to his office
TO make a declaration bristling with
defiance and denunciation Of the
order issued by Federal Judge
wilkerson in response to Attorney
General Daugherty's petition.
Gompers called the Injunction
most outrageous" He broadly In
timated labor leaders would Ignore
its provisions which he declared
constituted a nacrant violation OF
the labor sections OF the Clayton
antitrust law.
Never in his long career al the
head Of the American Federation
of Labor. Mr.. Gompers said. has be
found such q widespread demsna
for a general strike. He stated
that he had received no less than
200 letters and teieErams urging a
nationwide walkout Of union labor.
The demands were SO powerful, he
stated, that he felt Il his duty to
lay the situation before the execu-
tive council
Lacks Power 60 Call STRIKE.
He pointed out. however. that
neither he nor the executive council
had any authority TO call a general
strike. Such action would have to
be indorsed by the various units that
make up the American Federation
Of Labor. The powers of the execu-
tive council are limited to recon :
nlendations In this respect. but their
recommendations usually carry
great weight in shaping the strike
policies OF the various component.
parts Of the federation.
w. II. Johnston. president Of the
International Association OF Machin )
lists. declared that the Injunction
would have no effect upon the con-
tinuance of the strike and predicted
traffic on many railroads would coi-
lapse within the next thirty DAYS
Gompers announced that the
60,