The Omaha morning bee., 1924-08-11
Democrat Platform
One Big tumble"
Compers Asserts
Labor Leader Makes Sharp
Reply to Letter From
Member of Davis Cam
paign Committee.

Atlanlic City, N. j., Aug. TO-
Samuel Gompers amplifies in reply
to a second letter from William B.
Wilson of the democratic campaign
committee at Washington, the rea.
sons why the executive council of the
American Federation OF Labor con
sidered John w. Davis undeserving
of labor's endorsement as a presiden
tial candidate.
The Gompers letter to Wilson OF
today reiterates Mr.. Gompers' asser
ton that Mr.. Davis was not respon
sible for the draft or enactment OF
the Clayton law.
You letter makes reference to the
eight-hour law for government EN-.
ployes." said Mr.. Gompers. Let me
remind you that the law was first
passed by republican congress"
The labor leader relates again his
version Of negotiations which pre-.
vented the wartime railway strike
and again denies that Mr.. Davis or
the supreme court earned the credit
Republican Congress.
Mr.. Gompers continues, in part:
1T was q republican congress with
Abraham Lincoln as president that
abolished human slavery in America.
II the reasoning employed In your
letter We're to be followed 1t would
logically ensure that labor and the
people generally must for ell time
follow the republican party.
THAT the democratic party, with
the martyred Wilson at its head, en-
acted into law a fair concept of hu.
man relations and human freedom can
no more bind us forever to that or.
ganization than the emancipation
proclamation could bind us forever to
the republican party.
But the democratic party recently
held its national convention for the
purpose Of declaring the principles
upon which 1t now stands. Compare
the democratic platforms of 1912, 1916
and 1920 with the tumble Of the 1924
platform upon which Mr.. Davis is a
candidate.
Raps Demo Platform.
Every principle of freedom and
justice which found expression in the
platforms of 1912, 1916 and 1920 Is
conspicuous by its absence from the
1924 platform, which even fails to
recommend to the people for ratifi-
cation the child labor constitutional
amendment. The trainers Of that
platform contented themselves with
taking some unction to their souls be-
cause a few democrats voted for sub
mission Of an amendment In the house
of representatives and the senate.
Seven years have passed since you
left the cabinet Of Woodrow Wilson
and went into another avenue of life.
You must. however, somehow be un-
der the impression that 1t is Wood
row Wilson who II candidate for
president in 1924 and not John w.
Davis; and that the platform is the
platform of Woodrow Wilson and not
of John W. Davis and the 1924 demo-
cratic convention"
Mr.. Gompers in behalf OF the ex-
ecutive council. also made public the
text of kilograms and letters ex.
changed between him and Mr.. Davis
since the democratic convention at
New York. He made known in addi-
ton the contents of a telegram in.
Viting him to the notification cere-
monies at Clarksburg, w. Va, and
MS telegram declining to attend.
Retraction Refused.
Another development today at the
annual session of the council here
was the refusal OF Matthew wolI.
vice president, to retract the councils
attack upon the industrial report of
the FEDERATED council of the churches
of America. He informed Rev. Felix
y. johnson of Philadelphia, who came
here. at the instance of the council
OF churches to request that the Amer.
lean Federation Of Labor denuncia-
ton Of tho report be withdrawn, that
labors objection to the report could
not be retracted as long as the report
stands in its present language"
The council elected James Wilson
or Cincinnati, president of the Inter.
national Pattern Makers league OF
America, as vice president of the
council to succeed Joseph Valentine.
president OF the international Mould
er's Union of America. who yester-
day resigned because OF Ill health.
The Davis-Gompers correspondence
consisted of two letters and two tele-
grams, as given out by Mr.. Gompers.
the first was a letter written by Mr..
Davis at New York on July II and
addressed to Mr.. Gompers at brighton
Beach, N. Y.
Seeks Interview.
My dear Mr.. Gompers," the letter
began, II am very anxious to have a
personal interview with you at the
earliest opportunity. Am leaving TO-
morrow night to be gone something
like 10 days in order to secure a very
much needed rest before the cam.
paigp begins. Would I impose ON
your good nature IL I asked You to
let me know when and where 1t will
be possible for me to see you? Be-
lleve me with kindest regards, yours
sincerely"
Mr.. Gompers replied with the fol.
lowing letter:
Il fhave the honor to acknowledge
receipt of your favor of the 18th inst,
In which you express desire to have
personal interview with me. You
ask that you be advised on your re.
turn to New York city after 10 days
rest and the assumption OF your
whole duty in the campaign impend.
Ing for the presidential election.
II assume that you are aware that
have been in Ill health for the last