Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-12-18
AgEGaT-AOUR Bill,
The Senate COMMITTEES Listsns y
Arguments on It
CHARGES IADE BY SHIPBuILDERs.
samasl 0onpsrs vshsDsstly Dsnouness
Them cad Declares That II the Bill
Should Fall to Pas II VIII Bs Back
Again In the Next Consress.

Washington, Dec. 13.-The senate
committee on education and labor
yesterday listened to arguments for
and against the eight-hour bill.
James O'Connell, president Of the In
ternational Association of Machin-
lists, referred to q. statement made
before the committee by James H.
Null assistant manager at Cramps
shipyard, Philadelphia, to the effect
that members Of the International
Association Of Machinists had tried
to destroy the machinery Of the bat
tleship Alabama and the transport
Thomas while they were undergoing
repairs in the Cramps yards. Mr..
O'Connell said that nothing Of the
kind had ever been brought to his
attention and he did not believe It
ever occurred. .f
L. E. Payson, for the Newport News
Shipbuilding company, referred to
the strike at Newport News in 1901
and said that when the battleship
Illinois was about to leave the yard
on her trial trip word had gone forth
from the labor union that she should
not leave the yard until the unions
terms were complied with. He vehe-
meptly exclaimed that it was an act
which, If the United States had been
at war, would have been misprision
of treason. Men have suffered the
loss Of their lives for less acts Of
culpability," said he, "than were COM
mitted against our people in June a
year ago."
Samuel Gompers, president Of the
American Federation Of Labor, said
he had been classed as an agitator
by the "cyclonic and vehement Judge
Payson," butsit was the agitator
who made this country republic,
that abolished slavery and that saved
the children employed in the cotton
mills in the southern states.
Mr.. Gompers said he wanted to
take cognizance of a statement made
by Mr., Null Thursday and by Judge
Payson yesterday, alleging that the
International Association Of Machin-
lists had attempted to precipitate
strike in the Cramp shipyards during
the Spanish war while government
warships were being fitted out and
that some Of the labor men had at
tempted to tamper with the machin-
cry of a transport. He vehemently
denounced the charge and said that
Maj. Carson, Of the Thomas, had de-
clared the statements as being with
out foundation and had said that had
such an attempt been made to
tamper with the machinery of the
ship he CARSON would have known
it. ut is true" said Mr.. Gompers,
shat the strike in the Cramps ship
yard delayed the departure Of the
Thomas for a week or ten days, but
as a matter of fact it was not during
the Spanish-American war, but late
in the year 1S99." He added that the
chief merit in the statement was
that there was not a scintilla OF
truth in 1t.
Continuing and speaking with
much fervor, Mr.. Gompers said: III
any man was guilty of the act
charged, here Yesterday it was the
DUTY Of Mr.. Cramp asa citizen OF our
country to make criminal charge
against him and to expose to the
world what it implied. The charge
has not been outlawed by the statute
of limitation, and if the charge has
no foundation in fact it simply re-
acts upon the heads of those who
have made the accusation"
He declared that if the bill should
fail to pass it would be back again
in the next congress. "There is no
ending in this demand" he said, "un-
til it is accomplished"
The legislative, executive and judi
cial appropriation bill, carrying $780,
9aO,453, was reported by the appro-
priations committee. This is an in
crease of $5OO,3O1 over the appro-
priation for the current fiscal year.
Pas.enser Train wrecked nv Broken HAIL, |