New-York tribune., 1922-04-17
Gon1pers Raps
Jud &c Taft and
'lniquityCourts'
Union Head Insists Decision
Practically AnnuIled the
clayton Act: Declares
Workers Must Use Ballot
Urges Bonus for Soldiers
Tells Connecticut Organiza-
ton Wage Farmers Must
Demand More and More

NEW HAVEN, Conn. April 10
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor.
launched vigorous attack against the
nterests opposed to organized labor,
IN an address at an open forum session
OF the Connecticut Federation of Labor
here to-day
Mr. Gompors scored Chief Justice
Iait when he referred to recent de-
clslon of the United States Supreme
Court. He said the decision practical
" annulled the Clayton act"
He sand the courts which have been
issuing injunctions against Labor or
CARNATIONS arc courts of inioutv' in
stead of courts Of equity" He de-
c'ared that organized labor is "asking
for more and. would continue to ask
for more He recommended that
organized labor strive for modifca-
tion of the Nolstoad act instead of try
ing to rcappoal the Eighteenth Amend
melS. He described the Congressional
farm bloc as a ''fnancial bloc"
Brotherhoods Represented
Every labor organization in Con
0ccticut was represented at the meet
in@. The railroad hrothorhoods, which
arc not affiliated with the A. +. of h..
had dclcca,es present. and in tho
forum session they asked about the
policy of the A. I. OF l.. relative to
the recently organized non-Dartisan
party being fathered by the railroad
brotherhoods. Mr.. Gompers answered
that the A +. Of l.. "would follow the
policy laid down by our conventions. of
electing our friends and defeating our
enemies and would have no part in
any party campaign.
The chambers of commerce. and
especially the United States Chamber
Of Commerce. were scored bv NJ.
Gompcrs for an alleged attack upoN
the workers Of the country "in an of-
fort to dcstroH organized labor"
On the bonus question Mr.. Gompers
said: "Thc 4. F. Of l.. believes that the
men who offered their lives, gave up
their jobs to do so and arc now out of
work should be compensated. To do so
would put them in funds whereby they
could get new start, business would
be revived. an enormous amount Of
money put into circulation and honest
business thus would benefit, while the
public at large would be affected finan-
cj"'ly very little if Congress passed a
gust taxation act
Will Ask for More
Referring to tho "success Of labor in
obtaining the passage of laws rcgu-
jatlng the working of women and chill
dren.' he declared:
"Organizcd labor is going to ask for
more and moro until it gets sufficient
to have the comforts of life what the
worker is entitled to and the rich man
enjoys. Where wages are good and
hours of toll short honest business is
shop policies Of the financial interests
are hut roacting against themselves. for
to cut tho earning power of the worker
reduces his power Of consumption. and
II real normalcy is ever to be attained
then that policy must stop. The safest
way. the only way to return to nor
malcY is to pay the highest wage in
dustry Will bear, Then the family man
Will have the money to spend, the bus-
ness man will get it, the country will
benefit and the circle be completed by
1t coming back into industry'
Must Go Into Politics
"Organized labor is not going to su-
plnely submit to an industrial autoc-
r&cy in America Mr.. Gompers said.
"it must get right down TO the ground
in political life, go into the primaries
right away, see that men friendly to
labor arc nominated and elected. and 90
TO the limit to defeat thu-c who have
shown their antagonism. There are
nov seventeen men in Congress who
have always proved themselves 100 per
cent loyal to the working people of the
land. There should be macy times that
number, and there will be in tho next
Congress if the organized workers as
SORT themselves as they should and
must.
"Orranizcd abor had q largo ,art i,
tho election Of Woodrow Wilson to the
Presidency. During his Administration
many laws beneficial to every one who
tolls were passed. This was not due to
any pull but solely because Mr. Will
son had a real insight into the needs
Of the people. Labor asked no priv
leges then and asks none now, but it
will not stand for being driven back
to SELDOM"