The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-06-10
WARN Of CRISIS I
FOR INDUSTRIAL
PART Of NATION
Leaders OF Organized Labor See
Trouble Ahead as Gather for A.
r. L. Convention; Issue chal.
lenued 10 Foe. ,
COAL STRIKE is ONE
ELEMENT TO CONSIDER
Point TO Threatened Rail Walkout
az Another; oompers Pleads
With Workers TO ctand To.
nether; Outline Problem 7,
ny LAWRENcE MARTIN.

Omitted Press Staff Correspondent
Cincinnati. o.. June iO.-Tho ma.
iion Ia confronting one OF the most
acute Industrial crisis In It's history.
responsible leaders OF organized Ia.
bor warned here today. as they gath.
cred for the convention of the
American Federation Of Labor.
They sounded rallylng cry TO
the country's workers. challenge
and warning to labor's foes. and
an appeal TO the whole American
people. as they announced their In.
tention OF graphing In a construc.
tive way In their convention with
the economic problems facing them.
The elements In the critical situ.
alton which. in the opinion OF labor
leaders. will have profound and
harmful effect upon the country's
future II II Is not met squarely.
courageously and intellIgently now.
are the coal strike. the impending
railroad strike, the disposition Of
some employers to force wage cuts
on labor while refusing to lower
prices. the lack of sympathy and in
telligence In congress, and official
circles.
Labor's leaders here have definite
ideas of the part they must play, In
their convention and afterwards. in
meeting the crisis in their own af-
fairs. Through week Of prellmi-
nary conventions and group meet
ngs the principal leaders have con
tinually stressed labor's great need
unity, to meet the common foe.
"Men OF labor" said Samuel
Gompers, American Federation of
Labor president, in a stirring call
for unity, now is the time that
tries our souls. We must be true
to ourselves ndsto each other II we
hope to fulfill our mission. If we
are not true, we will go back TO the
dark ages of involuntary servitude.
That must not be. AS Joffre rallied
the allied hosts with the cry to the
enemy: They shall not pass!' so
the organized workers should take
up the slogan against labor's foes,
thus far you have gone, but you
shall not pass"
"What specific things will labor
attempt, in its convention, to meet
the situation?' Gompers was asked.
"That is just what we are going
to discuss in the next two weeks"
he said. He declared labor's leaders
are not going to seek to impose
their opinions or methods on the
rank and file. but that labor must
as a whole wrestle with its prob
lens.
"The tide will turn" went on
Gompers, "and labor's protest will
prove stumbling block in the way
Of the men who have undertaken to
drive the workers back to servitude.
The pendulum, which has swung far
back, will swing the other way and
go forward. My warning to our
nemieS Is: -
"'Do not drive your bargain too
hard with labor"
Labor can and must furnish lead
ership to a people wandering in an
economic and industrial wilderness,
said James O'Connell, head of the
metal trades workers and one OF
Gompers' right hand men. O'Con
nell is a member of the executive
committee on labors non-partisan po-
litical campaign.
"The country IS facing an indus
trial crisis, and the people are look
ing for leadership" said OConnell.
Whether they belong to organized
labor or not, they are afflicted with
the same unrest They are not get
ting leadership from those who are
to lead. Therefore. they
will turn naturally TO organized Ia
Dor, and our task is to be ready to
lead. Labor this year will make
the most intensive political effort in
&c bictnru -