New-York tribune., 1922-06-13
Compers Tells
A. f. of L. to
Seek Peace
Cconiluu,d from pau, onsl

OCCh n OdOO
rconilnu,d from pau' on'
have met with d-teat" IN their efforts
TO scize control Of the federation.
The convention. which is being held
In the Ohio National Guard Armory.
was opened By the playing Of The
! Star-Spanglcd Banner There fol-
/ lowed the delivering Of an Invocation
/ by the Rev. Peter r Dictz. director Of
/ the American Academy OF Christian
/ Democracy. in which he said:
81 appeal 10 God 20 witness the jus
/ tice Of your cause and the rectitude Of
/ your intentions. TO preside IN your
/ councils. 90 supply your defects. to
/ bless al your efforts for the prcserva-
/ tion and extension Of tho liberties and
the properties Of the American
people May God keep you. as YOU have
been, the minute men Of American
liberty"
Open Shop Denounced
After this, local labor leaders and
Mayor Carrel. % Cincinnati. gave
addresses OF welcome. Then came Mr..
Gompers's addrcs8. lie spoke IN part
as follows;
1--WE have emerged from a condition
OF servitude % understanding Of the
sovereignty Of the citizenship. Of the
equality Of opportunity which must
come to the great toiling masses Of
America.
"We do not becoud our minds. nor
de we fool ourselves into any lancied
security as % the obstacles which have
been and are being thrown across our
pathway Of progress. On the contrary
understand 'he purpose Of tda de-
yners and those who carr The ie-
signs into effect 20 weaken tnc spirit
or 20 crush the hopes OF American la
Dor for absolute freedom ana we arc
Just as ready, and perhaps much more
so. than are the antagonists Of the
rightful course and cause Of the Amefi-
can labor movement"
lie then sounded his keynote a.
TO conferences. continuing. he said:
"The open shop as our adycrsarios
term their antag0n.st.c movement. or.
when they cloak It hypocriticall,, the
American plan robbng patriotism OF
its most glorious name and committing
a dcvii.sh act is not the result OF con-
iercnces. There can be no genuine
conference between employers and en-
pioyccs unless tho employers and en-
pioyees stand upon az equal footing
cf responsibility and power.
Disarmament Action Cited
"For the first time in the world a
conference was held q few months ago
10 discuss a limitation Of agmamcnts
Of the nations of tho world Let me
call your attention 20 fact which
Nf..n rnf 80
Icnycr convention, the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor called upon the on
co.'s Of tho American Government 10
invite the nations Of the world 20 q
conference for the purpose OF discuss
ing how far the limitation OF arma-
monts could 60. it was almost a
month later when the government Of
tho United states sent It's invitations
20 the nations OF the world 20 attend
an international conference in our
capitol for the limitation Of arma-
mcrts.
There we're not very good results
accomplished. counted with what still
exists. but q beginning has been made
and the consistent course presented by
the American Federation OF Labor for
peace and the abolition Of international
var has been sustained. though 10
smaller degree than we hoped, BY that
Washington conference.
II think ] would be doing but scant
justice 90 the claims Of organized labor
were ] not 20 say that in every cOun-
try in the world it has made tho great
est contribution toward that purpose"
Labor Foes Assailcd
The text Of the preamble Of the OK
ecutiye councils report reads az fol-
lows.
we have passed through a year Of
unusual strife and Of unusual indus
trial depression Our movement has
been beset not only by the work Of
opponents who have been more active
and more determined than ever. but Il
has had to contend with an industrial
situation which caused Thousands OF
our members 10 be idle during a great
part of the year.
"The audacity Of those who have
made 10 their business 20 attack in
every possible manner the voluntary
organizations o. the workers has had
no parallel In our country We can.
not refrain from pointing out the fact
that those who have been most aggres-
give and most without conscience in
lhc'r attacks ol the labor movement
have been those who likewise have
been most aggressive In their attempts
&C. plundcr or slbvert the agencies Of