The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-01-21
IT'S BORIN' FROM WITHIN,

| IL > 6Oh4N k6VM WITHIN.
"The .Gompers denunciation of the
proposed anti-strike law in New York
is virtually the same as that taken
by Alex Howat, president Of the Kan
sas miners, which landed him in jail
and as result Of which the whole
force Of conservative labor officials
has been exerted against Howat''
The above is the concluding para
graph of a story sent out by the g Fed
Grated Press' dealing with Mr.. Com
pers' opposition to the proposal of
the New York Board of Trade for
the establishment of an industrial
court in the state Of New York. The
story is credited to Harry Godfrey.
The "Federatel Press rarely loses
an opportunity to poison its readers
minds about the American Federation
Of Labor and it's activities. It docs
not openly attack the A. F. Of l.. In
deed, it seldom offers criticism. It
seems content to deal at some point in
Its propaganda, an insidious thrust at
what it is pleased to term "conserva-
tive labor officials,'' all the while
"boring from within,' and undermine
i1g the workers confidence iii the
men charged with the responsibility
Of directing the labor movement.
In the instance cited above the un-
Informed are led to believe that Mr..
Gompers is but following in the loot
steps of Mr.. Howat That is to say,
Howat started the fight against
"can 't-strike' legislation and Com
pers is just beginning to take it up,
when as a matter of fact he has be IN
the most aggressive opponent in Amer
lea of compulsory arbitration and 9th
e. legislation designed to hand-cuff
labor ever since such was proposed
here, and long before Alexander How
a. was dreamed Of in the labor move
lnent.
But that is not the whole point in
the criticism we have to offer against
the Federated Prcss' It would lead
the workers to believe that as q result
OF Alexander Howat's opposition to
the Kansas lean 't-strike' law which
landed him i Jail, '"thc whole force
Of conservative labor officials has
dis been exerted against him.
| 1t is true that Howat's defiance of
the Kansas law got him in jail, but
that is not why the so.called conser..
vative officials are said to be against
him. President John L. Lewis and his
associates on the executive board of
the United Mine Workers of America
are opposed to Howat because Of his
refusal to end a strike which was called
il violation Of the terms of a certain
contract entered into between the
Miners union OF Kansas and the mine
owners affected by it. He refused
tc abide by the law Of his union, law
that he, Lewis and every union miner
took a pledge to support. So the is
sue in Kansas has resolved itself into
Il difference between Lewis, and union
law and honor on one side, and Howat,
and disregard for union law and dis
honor On the other.
1t was Howat's militant, but i'm
patient course that got him into most
OF his trouble. He would be mar
!: tyr, but he would not play the game
} with his fellows. Gompcrs believes
the Kansas "can 't-strike' is uncon-
stitutional. 1t is in violation of the
, Fourteenth amendment. It has never
, been brought to the supreme court of
the United States for a final test as
tc it's legality. Howat, was charged
? and convicted Of violating that law.
lie fought it through the state courts,
, lost, quit and went to Jail. He was
tehdered support by the United Mine
Workers. Union Of America and by
the American labor movement to carry
: his case to the highest court in the
country, but he spurned their offer.
The law is still where it was when
4 he was convicted. No issue has been
8 determined. He got into the lime
, light, but the great question of labor 3
freedom in Kansas still trembles in
: the balance.
, 1t may be argued that Howat's i'm
s prisonment will serve good purpose
r in that it will call national attention
;. to the injustice of the Kansas law,
! but it will do nothing of the kipd
: until the supreme court passSs on its
I y'''a'Sy| ! " Y e him s. ''ts