Evening star., 1924-11-17
CAMPAIGN,
SLOGAN OF LABOR
Leaders Seek to Have No
Reference to La Toilette on
Convention Floor.
BY Consolidated Press.

Ell. PASO, Tex, November IL
Forget La Toilette" is the slogan
of those in control of the conven-
tion of the American Federation of
Labor, which opened here today.
They wish to forget La Toilette, be-
cause. however bravely some of their
number man speak publicly of Ia
bor's victory" IN the recent cam
paign, % per cent by their talk in
the convention lobby show that they
feel that organized labor suffered a
more severe defeat than did La Fol-
lette. With La Fallette, only the
fortunes of one man was at stake.
With the federation, the wellbeing
of an organization of 100000 people
was affected.
The remaining per cent, who
resemble the soap boxer. in that they
are always satisfied with making a
noise, proclaim the adventure to have
been worth while. Those who wish
to forget La Toilette have in mind
something more important than pub
lie opinion as to what happened to
labor in the campaign. They do not
deny to one another that the pop
ular conception that the federation
sustained severe setback is cor
rect.
Effects on Unions.
More important, also, they know
the effect in the unions where dis
sension has been shown, and on the
campaign to reorganiZe the shattered
ranks of the railroad shop workers,
who are still suffering from the eff
fects of the strike of 1922 On the
chance that La Toilette might at
least throw the election into the
House. the railroad union leaders, led
by radicals, secured the Endorsement
of La Toilette and Wheeler
1t was a gamble. Had the thing
gone into the House, those who
thought to reorganize the railroad
unions would have profited i'm
mensely. If, in defeat, only the rail-
road unions had suffered, few would
feel so sorry or consider the result
serious, for the railroad unions had
comparatively little to lose. But all
unions have suffered.
Fights May Develop.
The program to forget La Fol-
lette" will probably deprive the con-
Vention of much color unless some
red extremist, representing few ex-
cept himself. takes 1t upon himself
10 start trouble by attacking men
like John L. Lewis. president of the
miners. and William L. Hutcheson,
president Of the carpenters. the
larger organizations in the fedora
ton who supported Coolidge, or Maj.
George L. Berry, who stumped for
Davis. If an attack is made on
either or all of these men. each a
fighter of the first rank, he will f1E<
back.
If such a fight develops through
the act of some unimportant radical,
no me- i1
be possible to forget La Toilette"
Therefore, many Of the delegates are
Jumpy. How jumpy they are Is
shown by a story told in serious
minute detail before Samuel Gompers
gaveled the convention into order today
According to the story, Maj. Berry
and Mr.. Hutcheson Of the carpenters
had met in the pillared lobby of the
Hotel Paso del Norte, and there had
made an offensive and defensive al
lance to fight the La Toilette men,
in which the powerful aftilia ton of
both leaders would join. 1t is further
recited that a we'll known New York
worker had been let in on the scheme
and was all set for a battle that
would rattle the skylights of Liberty
Hall. The writer involved In the
story, a truthful man, shattered II
with a sentence.
Talked About Golf.
Yes" said the writer "Hutcheson
and Berry did meet. 1 was there: We
were merely discussing the compara-
tive charms of golf and stud poker"
Many Of the delegates say that Mr.
Gompers Is most unhappy over the
election and It's aftermath. He would
like, the story goes, to feel free to
speak his mind about renegades and
others. The restraint imposed by his
associates irks him. He does not like
to be told to forget La Toilette"
But he has one consolation. The re-
port on the La Toilette campaign
bearing his signature, among others
which will go to the convention some
time this week. says in effect, according
to the inside reports, that ''it was a
glorious victory"
The antis, who to all intents and
purposes dictated the report. were
glad to make that one concession.