The Savannah morning news., 1900-06-13
LABOR UNIONS TREasoNABLE.
v. F. THOMPSON DECLARES THEY
SHOULD DE PROHIBITED,

Says He Reached These Conclusions
From Years of Close study--Asserts
They Weaken Cltizenship ana
Strike Down Industrial Progress.
Told Industrial Commission That
strikes and Boycotts should He
Made FeIonieS.
Washington. June 12-N. F. Thompson,
secretary of the Southern Industrial Com
vention of Huntsville. Ala. made a sone-
what sensational attack upon labor unions
before the Industrial Commission to-day.
Labor organizations" he said. ARE
the greatest menace to this government
that exist inside or outside the pale of
our national domain. Their influence for
disruption and disorsanizat.on of society
is far more dangerous to the perpetuation
OF our government in its purity and now
er than would he the hostile array ON our
borders of the armies of the entire world
combined"
Mr. Thompson declared that he made
this statement from years of close study
and field of the widest opportunities
for observation, embracing the principal
South. In support OF his statement he
said that "on every hand. and for the
slightest provocation, all classes Of or
ganized labor standrr rready to iuauEurats
a strike with all its attendant evils. and
that I'm addition to this stronger ties OF
consolidation are being urged over the
country among labor unions. with the
view of being able to inaugurate a. SYM
pathetic strike that will embrace all
classes of labor simply to redress the
grievances or right the wrongs of ono
class, however remotely located or how
ever unjust may be the demands of that
class. He asserted thet "organiza tons
teaching such theories should be held as
reasonable, in their character, and their
leaders worse than traitors to their
country"
Weakening Citizenship.
Mr. Thompson declared that many la
Dor leaders are open and avowed sccial-
is'S; that their organizations are weaken
ing the ties Of citizenship among thous-
ands of our people, in that they have no
other standard of community obligations
than that these organizations nculcate:
that they are creating widespread disre-
gard for the rights of others; that they
are destroying respect for law and su-
they are educating the laboring classes
against the employing classes, thus Gre
ating antagon.sms between those whose
mutuality of interests should be fosterza
and encouraged by every friend of good
government: that they are destroying the
right of individual contract between en-
ployes and employers. and forcing upon
employers men al arbitrary wages, and
thai they are bringing public reproach
upon the Judicial tribunals of our coun-
try by public abuse of these tribunals,
and often open defiance of their DEGREES.
thus seeking to break down the only
safeguards of free people. The remedy
for the evils lies, he said. principally i'm
correct public sentiment touching the
relations THAI should exist between labor
and capital.
"A law" he added, should be enacted
that would make II justifable homicide
Tor any killing that occurs in defense of
any lawful occupation, the theory of our
government being that anyone has right
to earn an honest living In this country.
and any endeavor to deprive one of that
right should be placed in the same legal
status with deprivation of life and prop
erty."
Should BE Made Feionies.
Strikes and boycotls. the thought. should
be made felony both by national and
stale legislation, and he suggested the for
nation of state and nationel boards of
arbitration. authorized and empowered to
settle all matters of difference between
labor and capital, and whose DEGREES
should be binding on the parties effected
Mr.. Thompson expressed the opinion
that public sentiment In the South would
jus ify the shooting of union men who
interfered with non-union men at work
lie said that the South was holding out as
inducements to manufacturers of textiles
that II they came South they would be
free from labor strikes. There is, he said,
q movement on foot TO put it beyond the
power of labor unions by means of COM
pulsory arbitration to disturb Industrial
conditions. Mr.. Thompson expressed the
opinion thai negro labor was essential to
the prosperity of the South and he also
said that the South was very prosperous
at the present time.