Evening star., 1932-11-05
LABOR SPEAKERS
ON RIVAL SIDES
Hoover Defended by Laugh.
lin and Attacked by
A. +. Whitney.

The Hoover administration was de-
Tended and attacked in statements by
two labor leaders here last night.
Gail w. Laughlin, Washington rep
reSentative of the Brotherhood of Lo-
connective Engineers. said President Hoo
yer and Secretary of Labor Doak have
demonstrated most sympathetic atti-
tude for labor men"
A F. Whitney president of the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen and
chairman of the Railway Labor Execu-
he described as "Mr. Hoover's share
the-work scheme for cutting wages as
Communism in its worst form"
In his statement. issued through the
Republican National Committee, Mr..
Laughlin said:
Listening to the radio speech made
by Daniel Tobin, president Of the team
sters' organization. last evening, one
would think that he was speaking for
the labor men of the United States.
Not Labor Speaker.
sMr. Tobin was not speaking for
labor and has not authority to speak
for organized labor of America. He is
chief of the labor division of the Dem
ocratic National Committee and spoke
purely in the interest Of election Of Mr.
Roosevelt.
"Mr. Tobin mentioned Mr. Whitney's
attitude. Mr.. Whitney Is president Of
the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen,
but he has no authority to speak for,
nor to obhgate, railroad labor men.
His attitude toward the President Of
the United States and the Secretary Of
Labor is his individual opinion.
"I have been in Washington repre-
10 PrOfhorhoOd nf rNropoOtiye
Engineers during the entire term Of
President Hoover and Secretary OF
Labor Doak; have dealt with them con-
stantly during their tenure of office on
labor matters of various kinds. and
know the attitude of both these gentle
men. and they have demonstrated a
most sympathetic attitude for labor
men.
"Forty-six bills in the interest Of labor
have been passed through Congress dur
ing President Hoover's term Of office, all
of which have been signed by the Presi-
dent That is record which cannot be
denied, even by those professionally en-
gagged in verbal attack on Mr.. Hoover" "
Letter to Secretary Doak.
The Whitney statement was included
In a letter he wrote to Secretary Doak.
It was made public by the National
Progressive League which supports the
candidacy of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The Presidents plan seeks. said
Whitney, Ito enforce the Communistic
principle of equal division upon those
who have the least to divide. to the ex-
clusion of those who have wealth and
income from wealth"
IF we must resort to Communism IN
order to save our present system" he
continued, I'VE should at least apply
the principles of equality and Democ-
racy along with it and call first upon
these who have most to divide"
Whitney also reiterated a statement
that Secretary Doak was not free to
serve the interests of labor" as he had
done while their representative. This
was denied by officials of the interna-
tional building trades organizations.
Officers of international building
trades organizations made their denial
of Whitney's statement in letter to
the Secretary. which Doak made public
I'VE have no hesitancy," their letter
said "in saying that your term OF office
has been indicative of every intent to
further the interests of organized labor
and these intents have been most prac-
tically demonstrated"