New-York tribune., 1922-06-05
Ethics Code
HeldBigg Need
OF A. F. of l..

'cs','a-e 'r'- V,'' s''l
paigns There are only two ways any
institution such as organized labor can
20. backward or forward.
II has demonstrated that &. cannot
be broken. and the combined onslaught
upon il thus far mas not caused it 70
be even seriously bent. But this does
not mean that even rs most jealous
supporters will concede that It is
perfect institution-an no one knows
better than Mr. Gompers that public
opinion IA An exceedingly hckle and
unstable commodity.
The aforesaid well wishers FOR the
labor movement agreed with Mr.
Gompers. when. in his testimony be-
fore the Lockwood committee. he said
that he was opposed 20 the incorpora-
ton Of unions. and added. "God save
Us from the courts" What has been
done IN the matter Of injunctions
against unions in industrial disputes,
and such action ns the recent decision
% the United States supreme Court as
% the child labor law has not been
calculated 20 lead labor unions 70 be-
lieve that placing themselves open 20
court action as incorporated bodies
would be % benefit 20 their interests.
Likewise. there were many who coin
cided with Nr. Gompers's opinion that
the enforced submission Of economic
strife % industrial tribunals would
mean compulsory labor.
But 10 was far more dimcult tor
some Of the same individuals friendly
% trades unionism 20 be IN accord with
the statement Of Mr.. Gompcrs IN which
be- pointed out that The entire ccntral
body OF the American Federation Of
Labor possessed only nominal control
of The local unions and their offcia .s'
forming the Federation. aad TIA, the
Federation should not interfere IN
compulsory fashion with the locals. re-
gardless Of any Of their Official acts
or modes Of doing business.
For. jGsi - parents often will be
Judged By the rearing and conduct OF
their offspring. 50 does very large
part Of the Ameri,an public Judge me
orfnnizcd labor movement oy the pc
havior of is component unions. u
may hc rcgrettable trat the puohe
sometimes confuses The princlples Oh
the international LADIES' Garment
Workers with those Of tho GEs House
Workers. Of Chicago, or that whsn the
subject Of labor leaders is brought up
-,.1, persons will speak % Robert =
Prirdcll or Big Tim Murphy 20 the
reglect Of reference 20 sucn men As
Ictn L. Lewis or Matthew VOL, BIT
reveriheiess facts are facts. ard X Is
a sac truth that a large portion OF tne
public has not get been educated 70
.he ro.nt Of making distinctions
Gompers an Analyst
There is no doubt that Mr.. Gompers
plsces a high value on what the unof-
ganized populace thinks OF the laoor
movement. as is shown by his steering
ne Federation away from projects 70
,iaee labor IN the political held as
senarate party, for he knows tnat' de-
sp,te the fact that Mrs. Brown WIZ
her Overland LOOKS somewnat askhhee
soeiallv az Mrs. Jones with her hiVFer'
American prejudices against class en-
titles in politics are most hrmly aho arc
dceply rooted His possession OF tnls
regard for popular opinion. thereiote'
makes it hard 10 understand ~hy "a
bor has not undertaken It's own 100
n bousecleaning long ago. even IN me
saee os the excuse that the SINS OF en- en-
niover. are many and so should miti-
cate the sins Of labor
The outstanding point tnat he
writer is seeking 20 make IN tnls ar
.ieie il that one Big Tim Murphy
claiming 10 represent laoor union
u,i,b the silent acquiescence o. tne
rest Of the movement, Is IN TINS dsy
s-d age far more damaging 70 tne
r,overent than a dozen Walter Cor
don Nerritts and William Il. FOSTERS
combined. and that one such action as
Ia, of the Jewish Bakers Union IN
,,,rnirg its spite bakery At q Ave
rue q for the purpose Of running an
enemy leaves greater impression on
he public mind than the fact that the
f.sfe.' Garment Workers Union et-
.enss hundreds OF thousands OF dol
fsrs a wear on educational eenters ior
is members.
Favors Reform from Within
The best reforms are nearly always
.he.e which are promulgated from
,.i,bi, In the opinion Of a number
~ critics. trying 20 be friendly organ
,,eS iabor can DO itself no better sery-
iee or take no greater step for i1 own
,-ogress than that, in IFS Cincinnati
sonssn,ior. il will recognize that i has
ssults and vote itself the authority 20
correct them.
I, some other respects, the eonven-
,ia- nyobably will not differ materially
from its predecessors Of the last few
years. There will be outeries OF praise
and condemnation concerning the vari-
ous Federation policies. attempts 70
mace the Federation on record as 20
great variety OF matters ana move
nents in which il has or has not
direct interest. the usual crimson
ehorded waiiing against The regime
which has guided It's destinies during
the last two decades.