Show MUST PROVE CHARGES Labor Leadens toll Shaffer to Time OPENLETTER GIVEN OUT Samuel Gonlpers and John Mitchell Challenge President of the Amalgamated Amal-gamated Association of Iron Stcl and TinWorkers to Provo tho Statement Ho Recently Made Regarding Re-garding Them and the Organizations Organiza-tions They Represent Will Resign Positions if Statement Is True 1 AVnhfn ton Sept 25 In an open letter let-ter issued today Samuel Gompcrs president of the American Federation I of Labor and vlceprcQldent of the I Cigarmakers union and John Mitchell president of the United MlneAVorkers of America and second vicepresident of the j merican Federation of Labor I challcncod Theodore A Shatter president I presi-dent of the Amalgamated Association I of Iron Steel and TinWorkers to I prove his statement recently made I I nsalnsy them The letter Is dated New I York September 5th and is directed lo MY Shaffer at Plttsburg It cites Mr Shaffers statement as printed In the idwspapers of September 21th and continues Thero Isno doubt In our minds that thp statements referred to were made by you and assuming this to be so wo believe that you should bo afforded time amplest opportunity VOCV demonstrating time truths ot your statement so If they arc founded on fact the world amid particularly tho world of organized labor may know It AVo bcliovo that you should ho afforded the fullest latitude In Justifying jour course arid yolir Charges und at the name tlmapillory UB If wo dceervo It On time V othr hand you will realize the Impossibility Impossi-bility of our allowing your charges and Insinuations to so broadcast and stand unanswered and unchallenged Jlqvlng due regard for our duty toward the labor movement and the Interests committed to our charge wo have no de jlroto enter Into a controversy through tho nowajjapsra and have therefore declined de-clined to aay inythlng about the matter to tho representatives of the press who have importuned us to answer but repeating re-peating that wo believed it to bo necessary neces-sary that your charges and Insinuations should bo substantiated or refuted to that end wo submit tho following proposition to you First That a committee of three shall meet cither in PIttaburg WashIngton D C or the city of New York for the purpose pur-pose of hearing and determining the charges and insinuations you havo made against us Second That If the committee finds us guilty of your charges and insinuations we will resign from the presidency of the American Federation of Labor and tho vicepresidency of time CIgarmakora1 International Inter-national union from the presidency of the United MineWorkers of America and from tho second vicepresidency of tho imerican mxieration or Laaor Third That ho committee shah consist of three members of organized labor to ba Bclocted by you from lists herein submitted sub-mitted Time names of eighteen labor leaders heads of different labor organizations Is given The letter states that the writers havo carefully omitted to submit the name of any member of the executive council of the American Federation of Labor or of any representative of any organization or-ganization of which any member of time executive council is a member The letter concludes thus Ve cannot imagine that you would make crave accusations against ue whir out premeditation as Jo their conse quences wo therefore insist that In com mon Justice to us and with duo regard to limo interests which both you and wo rep V rcoont you will advlso tam within thrco days of jour acceptance of our proposi tion |