. . .
President Gompers said he desired to talk to the gentlemen present on a matter of very great importance. He said that the Democratic Party was the party of the people, the protesting party, but that it had been drifting away from its moorings so that it was difficult to tell the difference between some of the leaders of the party in congress and other places and republicans. He said that Labor was a protesting group of American citizens and that it desired to join any party that would be true to its principles. He said that if the Democratic Party would come out as a true progressive party, a party for the people, a party that would protest against any injustice and wrong that labor would be only too willing to join forces with it. He said that he believed that in certain districts in the United States union men should be endorsed by the Democrats not only for members of the legislature but for members of the federal congress. Then Labor and the Democrats could work together for the election of true, progressive, protesting legislators.
Rep.
Rouse and Rep.
Hull both said that if the same meeting had been held the same time last year there would have been a great many more successes in the Congressional elections of last Fall. The question of leadership of Democrats in the House was then considered.
It was understood that
Rep. Garrett of Tennessee and
Representative Garner of Texas were the candidates, both of whom are unfriendly to Labor.
Mr. Rouse said that he favored Mr. Hull for that position but the latter said that would be impossible because of
his position as chairman of the National Democratic Committee.
President Gompers laid great stress on what he meant by cooperation which he said could not be carried out unless the Democratic Party became a real protesting party.
The meeting adjourned with the understanding that other meetings would be held in the future. The conference was most satisfactory to all concerned. It was the unanimous verdict that the conference was a long step in the right direction and that the results would be of benefit to not only the Democratic Party and Labor but to the people of the entire country.
. . .
Files of the Office of the President, Conferences, reel 122, frames 322-23, AFL Records. Typed notations: "Copy." and "Conference Held in Office of Pres. Gompers January 6, 1923 at 2:00 P.M."