Washington, D.C. July 20, 1917.
Honorable Woodrow Wilson,
President of the United States,
Washington, D.C.

Sir:

A number of telegrams have been received by me from several parts of Arizona, calling attention to the treatment accorded to the workmen of that state. I quote herein three telegrams as follows:
                                                                                 ["]Phoenix, Arizona,
                                                                                 ["]July 18, 1917.

"Samuel Gompers, President,
["]American Federation of Labor,
["]A.F. of L. Building, Washington, D.C.

["]Use your best efforts with President to have all men who were deported from Bisbee returned to their homes under military protection. Many American Federation of Labor members with families were deported. Their wives and children are in want. Act at once.

                                                                                 ["]W. E. Holm
                                                                                 ["]F. J. Perry
                                           ["]Former Secretaries Warren District Trade Assembly."1

                                                                                 ["]Phoenix, Arizona
                                                                                 ["]July 19, 1917.
"Samuel Gompers, President,
["]American Federation of Labor,
["]A.F. of L. Bldg., Washington, D.C.

["]Appeal to the President to order men deported from Bisbee returned to their homes with military protection. Many members of American Federation of Labor deported and treated like brutes. Families of deported men suffering with hunger in Bisbee. Quick action is necessary.

                                                                                 ["]Thos. A. French, 2
                                                       ["]Secretary Arizona State Federation of Labor.["]

                                                                                 Phoenix, Arizona.
                                                                                 ["]July 19, 1917.
"Samuel Gompers, President,
["]American Federation of Labor,
["]A.F. of L. Bldg., Washington, D.C.

["]Fred W. Brown, Organizer American Federation of Labor, number 7352, a bitter opponent of I.W.W. is among the men deported from Bisbee. Deportation was a general fight on organized labor. We are advised of no action by Federal Government as yet.

                                                                                 ["]Thomas A. French, Secretary.
                                                                         ["]Arizona State Federation of Labor."

The reason I have given these three telegrams is because they are official and from representatives in the labor movement in Phoenix who I know to be trustworthy and truthful.

I assume it is not necessary for me to give any assurance of how utterly out of accord I am with the I.W.W. and any such propaganda; but some of the men deported are said to be law-abiding men engaged in an earnest effort at improvement of their condition. If the men treated as stated have been guilty of any crime, they should be tried in the courts and given the opportunity for defense. There is no law of which I am aware that gives authority to private citizens to undertake to deport from the state any man. If there be lawlessness, it is surely such conduct.

I am fully impressed with your desire not only to see that justice is done but to do justice to all our people alike, regardless of their walk in life, and I respectfully submit this matter to your consideration, confident that you will take such action as the circumstances warrant.  3

                                                                                                Respectfully,

                                                                                                Saml Gompers.
                                                       President, American Federation of Labor.

TLS, Woodrow Wilson Papers, DLC.