New-York tribune., 1922-08-23
'HarslingMal<ing
serf of Labor /,
Cornpers Says
leader Declares Men Are
Willing TO Die TO Defy
ANY Attempt to Make
Them Toll Against VIII
Gold RulesAlbany, Charge
Wall Street Also Serves
as Guide for Washing
ton, He Tells Workers

pouGHKEEPSIE, N. T., Aug % (By
The Associated Press Samuel Gom-
xers to-day told the convention Of the
New York State Federation Of Labor
hat President Harding's recommends
t:nu TO Congress last week to enact
legislation TO provide means for en-
sorcing the decisions of the United
states Labor Board meant to make
,ham enforcibls so as TO compel men
: labor against their will. and, if they
wnuIa not work against their will, to
nrov;de for fning or imprisoning them,
or both
4But that doesn't run railroads and.
i doesn't produce COAL" he addeA
saen and women have dared face jshl
.ud even the hangman's gibbet in de
ssuss Of labor's rights And that spirit
Is not yet dead, even in America"
"WalI Street Strings
The veteran president of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, insiorsing the
p!sss of state labor leaders to have
erganized workers put forth their, own
candidates in the elections this fall to
oppose those they consider unfri endly
10 labor, declared Wall Street was
making decisions for the state govern
mens at Albany and that these same
financial interests served as a guide
for Washington.
"The railway executives 3assume the
..,;t;o7, of be;rr ,,aa4are - ~ A. 4
survey, so far as their atts tude toward
the striking shopmen is CO ncerned," he
said. "But back of then. are strings
leaaing from Wall Street. This effort
TO beat the shopmen IS an effort to
destroy trade unionism ,once for all.
Il have an abiding faith that the
skopmen will triumph, but if by any
means they should fail, it would mean
that the stationary crafts would go
down first and the railroad operatives
next"
Especial significance was attached to
Gompers's remarks because tomorrow
the executives of 25Sl railroads meet in
New York to consider proposals by q
committee from the five railroad
brotherhood acting as 1nediators, for
a settlement of the aiopmens strike,
and since it was only. yesterday that
he and other officials of the American
Federation of Labor asked organized
labor throughout the country to i'm
mediately give its nj oral and financial
support to the striking shopmen.
Governor Denounced
aMen high in finance, business and
commerce have set up in this country
reater than the political power"
Gsmpers said. "Gust look at the acts
IL Congress, then study the roster,
aud you will see that most of the
nsuhers represent high finance, big
isdgstries and commerce. Nor is it
hpn Albany that decisions are sent
cut 1t is from Wall Street and Al
bany obeys."
Gompers Joined with James P. Hol-
land, president Of the state fedora
ton, in warning the laboring people to
guard against legislation which, they
said, was intended to bring back COM
pulsory labor. Holland denounced
Governor Miller as representing steel
and traction interests. Both he and
Gompers quoted the Governor as hav-
ing said year ago that the time
ihen was "inopportune" to try to set
Up in New York State an industrial
court modelled after the one in Kansas.
@Inopportune," said Gompers, "meaIt
that if they could catch us unawares
some time they would put it over"
"Oh," he continued, show the Legis-
lature of New York state has changed!
1t represents the worst features of our
modern life"
Cheer AL Smith
Then he harked back to his ex-
perlences with Al Smith when the for
mer Governor and present candidate
for the Democratic nomination for that
position was working with him in con-
nection with the State Factory Com
mission. When he mentioned Al Smith
the convention broke out into the
loudest cheering and applause of the
session
"'Hurray for All" some one shouted.
Inc next Governorl" another yelled.
And well might you cheer his
name, said Mr.. Gompers.
Durlng the criticism of Governor
Miller Holland referred to the strike
on the International Railway Company
az Buffalo and bitterly attacked the
state police and those responsible for
sending them to territory affeted bv
the strike.
When ! saw those state polie r
saia TO myself that many of our bays
nag seen service in the army overseas
sa saa told them i we can shoot over
,ss5 sasle we can shoot over here" Hol-