The Washington times., 1902-03-19
Judge McCammon Says
1t Is Unconstitutional.
ITS TENDENCY is SOCIALISHIC
Mr.. Gompers Takes Umbrage at Remark
of L. E. Payson, Counsel for Newport
News Shipbuilding Company - Labor
Leaders Eloquent Appeal.

After listening for the past six weeks
to testimony for and against the bill
limiting work on all Government con
tracts to eight hours per day, the House
Committee on Labor yesterday heard the
final arguments on the measure.
Judge Joseph X. McCammon, represent
ing the Cramps, and the Homestead and
Bethlehem Steel Works, and Judge L. Z.
Payson, appearing for the Newport News
Shipbuilding Company. argued against the
bill becoming a law Mr. Samuel Gompers,
president of the American Federation of
Labor. closed the days proceedings in de-
Tending the proposed statute.
Mr.. Herman j. Schulteis, chairman
national legislative committee. Knights Of
Labor. was also present in the interests
of that organization, they being strongly
against the enactment of an eight-hour
law.
Views of Opponents.
From the theories advanced by counsel
Tor the contractors, it appears positive
that should the bill become a law the
Government will be forced into manu-
featuring their own guns and armor plate
as we'll as building war vessels, for the
steel manufacturers and shipbuilders are
unit in declaring against the possibili
ty Of turning out work of so high de-
gree of excellence as TO pass Government
inspectorship under the severe conditions
imposed by law carrying with it time
limit on work.
Aside from this both lawyers dwelt
with equal emphasis on the socialistic
tendencies OF such bill as was under
consideration by the committee, and the
dangers it was weighted with in imperil-
ing one of the basic principles on which
the Republic was founded, viz: the right
and labor.
Judge McCammon, in support of this
stand, read an editorial from the New
York Sun" of March 8, condemning Mr.
Gompers severely for his advocacy of the
bill and asserting that his principle was
one which menaced the freedom of the
American workman. The judge read the
editorial with great earnestness, and he
was listened to very attentively by the
committee nearl.- every one OF whom was
present.
The judge also called to the attention
of the committee an editorial on like lines
printed in the Rochester Post-Express,"
March 10, in which the opinion was ex-
pressed that If the eight-hour law should
be passed it would not be long before the
laboring men would be clamoring for its
repeal, and cited as a curious fact that
Mr.. Gompers. a representative OF Amer
ican labor, should be seeking to limit and
destroy freedom of contract now enjoyed
by the men he claimed to represent.
Judicial Function,
Judge McCammon called to the particu-
lar attention of the committee that provi-
sion of the bill requiring an executive
officer OF the Government to exercise
judicial function.
HE therefore, said the lawyer, ''is the |
only person with authority to make the |
many distinctions involved In the bill. |
Gen. Thomas L. Casey, Chief of Engineers. |
testified in 1892 in regard to a similar !
measure that officers acting as inspectors |
have not the time nor the experience to |
enable them 10 determine such questions. |
He also suggests that such legislation will |
The speaker emphasized strongly the last |
Judge McCammon characterized the bill |
as purely sentimental one framed re- |
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