Let me call your attention to the papers published this morn-
ing. You will find a statement made by Mr. Kirby, President
of the National Manufacturers' Association, in which he says
substantially the following: "In 1907, the American Feder-
ation of Labor raised two hundred thousand dollars. There is
now but eighty-nine thousand dollars of it left. It would be
good to know to whom this money has been paid, whether for
dynamiting the Los Angeles Times, and if so, how much?"
That is published broadcast and in black face type in all the
papers. I prepared this statement in reply:

"Every dollar, to the last cent, received and expended by the
American Federation of Labor is published monthly in the Am-
erican Federation of Labor's official journal — The American
Federationist — from what source the money is received and for
what purposes expended. At the 1907 convention, held at Nor-



50 LABOR AND THE EMPLOYER

folk, Va., an assessment of one cent was levied, which yielded
$16,616.72. This was raised and used to offset the campaign
of the Manufacturers' Association to crush out organized labor
in Los Angeles and other cities. The detailed report of the in-
come and expenses was published in the official printed proceed-
ings of the conventions of 1908-9 and '10, and can be had, con-
sulted and verified by any one. I invite Mr. Kirby, either for
himself or to appoint a committee of three persons, no matter
whom he may appoint, to investigate the truth of these state-
ments. I think it but fair that a similar invitation should be
extended to a committee whom I might appoint to investigate
the receipts and expenditures of the National Association of
Manufacturers. I challenge Mr. Kirby to publish the income
and expenditures of the National Association of Manufacturers
for the past five years. It will disclose whether the war fund of
a million and a half dollars raised by the National Association of
Manufacturers to war upon organized labor has not been used in
the frame-up in Los Angeles and elsewhere, and in the effort to
cast odium upon the most humane and altruistic organized effort
of our time — the American Federation of Labor. 