Evening star., 1928-08-07
A. F. OF |. ADVISES
NEUTRALITY POLICY
DURING CAMPAIGN
Executive Committee An
nounces Decision After
Ten-Day ParIey.
WILL COMPILE DATA
ON BOTH PLATFORMS
Candidates Speeches Will Be
Scanned for Stand on Unions,
Statement Says.

ATLANTIC CITY, n. j., August t.
Organized labor was advised to con-
tinue to adhere to a non-partisan po-
litical policy during the present presi-
Dental campaign i'll a statement issued
today by the executive committee OF
the American Federation of Labor.
The statement adds that in view OF
expectation of declarations of great
significance to labor" in the coming
speeches of acceptance I'VE will await
with very great interest the expression
of each candidate, 1eserving to our
selves the final decision regarding our
future policy during the remainder OF
the campaig1."
The committee has just closed 10
day conference here.
The statement said:
THE American Federation OF Labor
has found from experience that the
best interests of its entire membership
has been protected and conserved by a
strict adherence to a non-parttSan po-
litical policy. This procedure requires
that the platform of the political par
ties must be compared and the records
of candidates for Office must be care
fully studied and scrutinized When
such political information is made
available, the individual members OF
organized labor invariably support can
didates for Office who are known to be
friendly and sympathetic toward the
aims and purposes of the American
Federation of Labor, and who enjoy the
confidence and esteem of the members
and representatives of organized labor
No Coercion.
THE wisdom of such action is clearly
apparent when 1t is considered that the
American Federation of Labor is CON-
posed of men and women who enter
tain different political opinions. They
are not required to become identified
with or TO support any political party
when they become members Of the
American Federation OF Labor.
After giving consideration TO al
these facts the executive council of the
American Federation of Labor is of the
opinion that the membership of ths
American Federation of Labor should
continue to adhere to its partisan
political policy during the ensuing po.
litical campaign.
"All information regarding platforms
candidates and their records will bt
compiled by the non-partisan political
party and submitted to the officers anc
members of the American Federation
OF Labor. SO that they may exercise
their political Judgment in a way which
will be to the individual and collective
interests of all working men and women
Await Acceptance Speeches.
In connection with the very i'm
portant decision. the executive coun-
Gil is taking into consideration the fact
that the candidates of the two great
political parties for the presidency OF
the United States viii deliver their
speeches of acceptance in the month
of August. We firmly expect that each
of them in these addresses will make
declarations of great significance to
labor. We anticipate that they will ex-
press their opinion regarding injunc-
ton release legislation and will amplify
the declarations of the platform of the
political parties relating to labor and
labor questions. We win await with very
great interest the expression of each
candidate, reserving TO ourselves the
final decision regarding our future pol
icy during the remainder of the cam
paign.
I'm conformity with this declaration
and decision Of the executive council
the non-partisan political committee OF
the American Federation OF Labor is
instructed to communicate with ma
tional and international unions. State
federations of labor. central bodies and
directly chartered local unions trans
mitting to them copies of the platform
of the two political parties and the
records of the candidates for the presi-
dency of the United States. together
with copy of this declaration.
Furthermore. the records Of candi-
dates for the United States Senate in
the different States and candidates for
the House of Representatives shall be
supplied for general distribution
throughout the different States and
congressional districts"