Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-08-07
LABOR COMMITTEE
ENDORSE FAILS
To WORRY OLD LINE
BY ROBERT T. SMALL

BY ROBERT T. SMALL
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5.-Leaders
of the two old parties in the capt.
tai today expressed neither surprise
nor concern over the Endorsement of
the La Toilette Wheeler ticket by the
convention of the American Fedora
ton of Labor. They say the action
was both expected and discounted.
The old line politicians take the
position that the labor leaders are
not able to deliver the labor vote,
AID that members of the unions all
over the country will vote according
to their regular party affiliations or
according to their personal incllna-
lions. They say this always has
been the case, and there is no rea-
son to look for a reversal this year.
Republicans recalled the fact that
a number of the more prominent
labor leaders of the country came
out for the Democratic ticket in 1920.
Yet every labor center in the country
rolled up a huge majority for Har-
at that time that the interests"
behind Harding and Coolidge meant
using the bayonet and the injunc-
tiol in any labor disputes that
might arise. Mr.. Coolidge was just
out of the police strike at Boston
and had been reelected governor Of
Massachusetts on what his followers
called law and order platform
1. tOI nc.
an anti-la Dor declaration.
Governor Cox, of Ohio, the Demo
cratic presidential candidate, had
been declared fair TO labor at all
times. He had refused to call out
the militia in labor disputes, which
he thought could be settled by media
ton, and which proved to be the
case.
Leaders Pleas Ignored
The voting laborers listened to
none of the advice given !hem APP
parently, but went to Toe polls in
all their might and main for the
Republican ticket.
At Democratic headquarters it
was pointed out today that while the
so-called labor leaders have been
for La Toilette from the beginning of
his proposed candidacy, the rank and
file of labor which had expressed
itself had manifested a decided Xix
ing for William Gibbs McAdoo. This
was particularly true of the railroad
men. The Brotherhood officers had
been working for La Toilette long
before the Democratic national con-
vention in New York City had been
called to order. 1t was well known
to all who had probed the sentiment
of the workers themselves, however,
that they were for McAdoo almost
to q man.
Senator La Toilette had accepted
the nomination, nevertheless, before
Mr.. McAdoo had dropped out of the
running at Madison Square garden.
The railroad brotherhood chiefs
therefore would have been in rather
an embarrassing position had a sud.
den switch in sentiment carried the
Californian over the top for the
Democratic nomination.
These facts were recalled today to
stress the point made by the Demo
Gratis and Republicans that there is
division this year as always in the
ranks Of abor and that the vote will
be apportioned among the various
presidential candidates along natural
lines.
Never Vote En- Bloc
Nationally the labor vote is re-
garded much as the woman vote has
been. There was some perturbation
when women first were nfranchised
to vote for president electors. But
the politicians from the states where
women had been voting for state
officers for great many years,
stilled all fears by saying that the
female vote would follow the male
vote, dividing itself in such a man
ner as to cause no particular upset.
The women of the country have
proved that they do not and will not
vote en- bloc Labor, nationally,
never has voted in that manner and
the old party leaders profess to be.
lieve it cannot be so delivered this
year.
At least a part of this mornings
conference was devoted to sum
marizing the reaction to the La Fol.
lette-W Wheeler Endorsement as ex,
pressed in the hundreds OF tele.
grams that have streamed in to the
American FG4--- alton of Labor head
since the fact of the indorser~ at
was m&de p@')lic
Every state vas said by members
of the council OF have been repre-.
sented in I delUge of kilograms,
most9fz IcOtoac mfwyp hrdIu fwypm
most of which were declared to ave
been highly consrat Ilatory. The mes
sages came, it was reported. from
leaders of unions which are members
or non members of the American
Federation Of labor, from friends of
labor and from persinal enthusiasts
of both sexes in tn ranks of sup
porters Of the two candidates 20
whom the federation pledged sup
pert.
Old Parties Denounced
Heads of the federation made pub
lie Sunday their Endorsement Satur-
day of the platform OF the Cleve-
land conference for progressive po
liticai action and that conventions
nominees-La Toilette for president
and Wheeler for vice president.
The document is denunciation
NJ The Republican and Democratic