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Show ORDER ILLEGAL, GOMPERS SAYS Injunction Taken to Mean Shopmen Have Nearly Won Strike PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 5, President Presi-dent Samuel Gompers of the American Amer-ican Federation of Labor, In n Labor flay itddrcsp. said that the Injunction 1st 11 1 against the railroad shopmen In si w. ik was a violation of the constitution con-stitution and tho lawn of tho land. He characterized the action of Attorney Attor-ney General Daugherty as "exercising "exercis-ing a power never dreamed of in tho history of the republic" The" veteran labor chief said the Injunction In-junction was wrong In principle and In fact and was a confession that the nhi.ipiiM n hnvc nearly won their strike Tie urged th.it the unions furnish mum y to support the women and children chil-dren of the men on strike. ' The men must fight ami take care of themselves" he declared Pnsldent Harding and Attorney CJcnprril riniirrh. rtv were erltlelzed hv Mr. Gompers for tho Issuance of tho lnjum tlon and he asserted that both had advocjated legislation to bring about "compulsory labor." The party of Llneoln whii h freed the slaves, said Mr Gompers, Is now trying to force compulsory labor on the whites and blacks sinm r:ns fall Mr. Gompers spoke under the au-pi' au-pi' es of the Central Iabor union of Philadelphia. It was late In the day when Mr. Gompers began iiis speech which was Interrupted by showers and several times by interrogations In the crowded pavilion where he spoke. In Introducing tho labor president John A Yoll, In'ernatlonal president Of the Glnss Bottle Blowers' union said that, according to Washington dispatches Inhor leaders have been admonished to speak carefully or the "goblins would et them." He declared thai the open Shop Is dead ' despite the efforts of the administration to rescue It from oblivion. MOST Tin ING PFJUOD Telling his hearers that ho came to Philadelphia to deliver a message of hope and i-neouragement to men and women who believe In Justice and democracy, de-mocracy, Mr Gompers declared that the present Is th-a time when organized organ-ized labor must more firmly resolve to stand for tho declaration of Independence Inde-pendence and the constitutional guar-ant guar-ant ss of the republic, "In vjpw of existing conditions and Circumstances," said the veteran leader, lead-er, now la the time that tries men's souls to overcome tyranny and Injustice In-justice and to maintain the fundamental funda-mental principles of America." Mr Gompers compared (he labor movement of years ago with the present pres-ent and asserted that a company union is "a company union dlctafed by the company and not by a worker's union." We are not going to have any such unions. If wc can help it," he declared de-clared "and we can help It:" OPEN SHOP Dim K The labor president nuld that the after the war drive was made by hostile forces among tbe employers to reduce wages, but that labor refused "to consent to bend the knee to anv industrial autocracy." The drive is also on for the nonunion non-union shop under the cloak of tho open shop, he added, and nomc men are so treacherous as to call the open ;hop the "new American plan" for th purpose of reducing wages and tho standard of living. Taking up Ihe cause of the shop men, he said the spirit of real America Amer-ica was exemplified by these workers and brought hecrs from the rain-soaked rain-soaked erowd when he declared th.t I the "tide of lower wages has stoppou and we are on the road to a better day " HARDING'S PAST RECORD He mentioned the fact that there I h.H'll fieen , II u t 1 1 r t . , n r r o .. ,1 U I - vj...... . .u urn, iiitll me strikers had been accused. "They are not Interfering with the operation of the roads,'' he dei lared 'Let the railroad employers operate them." Mr. Gompers asserted that Ml. Harding as senator and president and Attorney General Daugherty both advocated ad-vocated legislation that meant "eom-pulsory "eom-pulsory labor." Despite the president's appeal to congress on August 18, he declared, to put "teeth" in the i-aii-road labor law. congress has so far refused to do so and Mr. Daughorty reported to the Injunction, more far reaching than any legislation. In doing do-ing this Mr. Gompers asserted that he was "exercising a power never dreamed of In the history of the republic." re-public." CRFATIM, RADICALISM 'Men wonder at Impatience, unrest and resentment," Mr. Gompers said. 'The combination of finance and big business." he added, "is making more radicalism. Indeed, It is a manufacturing manufac-turing plant of radicalism In this country." When Mr. Gompers olosed a man In the crowd who spofce with a foreign for-eign accent and said he was a member of the cnrpentPrs' union, asked him whether he thought there should be a general strike. "Letter ask Hums, the detective." Mr Gompers replied "Do you or Mr. Burns run tho federation"" fed-eration"" the man persisted. If that Is a conundrum I give it up." said the labor leader. "FRIGHTENING MOVEMENT" Mr. Gompers referred to reports that ho must speak carefully and not violate the Injunction. He said that was the way to frighten timid people and children 'I wonder who Is to do this frightening business." ho went on. and mentioned William J Burns, director of tho bureau of Imestlga-tlon. Imestlga-tlon. of the department of Justice. "I hold the Issuance of the Injunction Injunc-tion at the behest of the administration administra-tion Is wrong, not only In principle but In fact," the labor leader declared. 'It Is a confession that the railroad shopmen have nearly won their strike If they had about lost It. I doubt If the administration would have used till Its power to get the injunction and frlchtcn tho life out of the men." "Tho Injunction docs not sit well on the minds of men in congress who refused to enact legislation wanted by the administration." Mr. Gompers asserted as-serted He maintained the railroaders were free men and had the right to strike if they wanted to Mr. Gompers Gomp-ers had his secretary read the sixth and twentieth sections of the Clayton act, and declared the injunction was a violation of both sections. oo |