The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-12
PERSONAL Encounter , BctWecn'
Samuel Gompers and Judge
McCamrnor.
LABOR LEADERS Il.
Av0WED SOCIALISTS
So Declares Mt. Davenport 81
tie Anti Boycott ociation.
He Says They Teach D|isre-
gard Of Law and Instill
Hostility Against Capt.
8 talfin Mind Of Labor.
4. !.


tFrom Our Regular Correspo
WASHINGTON. .. c., Feb. 11..-one
OF the most interesting hearings ever
given on the eight hour labor bill was
that Of this morning before tho House
Committee on Labor, and in the course
or It, there we're many heated ex-
changes between the reprcsen tatives OF
employers and Samuel F.. G ompers. pres
5ident OF the American Federation Of La
boz. $5 Il Il ifs5 3 $ i ;3E
an Gompers left here this afternoon for
Porto Rico. but delayed his journey long
enough to denounce the Representative
OF capital" whom he charged with re-
ferring to the labor leaders as "blather-
sixties, incendiaries and Socialists. +.
AZ. one time 1t looked as though there
might be "a personal encounter t between
MIR. Gonpers i.R g and Judge 8, ,McGamlnon y;
tcpresepting the Cramps, and MIR. Daniel
Davenport, ,Eof Bridgeport Conn, repSe.
scntlDg the Anti Boycott Associa tion@ Of
the United States .st iS.53
lS Mr.. Davenport made d clearer state
inent Of the dangers tendin q the Opera
gtiDn fof an eight hour bill than fas ever
Seen given to the Committee on Labor,
treating the subject from O. hilosophi-
cal and practical standpoint. 5ttl.;;,.s-
He quoted certain SocinltsticS resolu-
tons. which had been adopted In sub-
stance by u large number OF labor Ssor-
}sanizations. and which tended. he said.
TO 3incitc collisions between capital and
tiubor. The resolutions called upon the
lnborlng men to use their pol teal tinflu-
cnce to protect their interests against
the employer The interests he repre-
sented had been alarmed at the growth
OF such 6ocialistic doctrines and the
uuestio OF the relations between capitai
md labor transcended all local inter
csts
Avowed Socialists.
..If God should call you tonight, gem
tlemen OF tho committee, ne SAID.
could you go with your minds easy a
40 the welfare or your children. II you
knew that doctrines like these were IN
cxIst tencc and spreading ~
Many. IL not all. OF tile labor leaders
ere avowed Socialists. he declared. using
tho labor organizations to advance the
cause OF Socialism. They. teach the
widespread disregard of law and tnstiil
hostility against capital inttho minds OF
labor. They demand discrimtnatiyeflegi gis-
Slation and In times of strikes demnnd
the discharge Of men who stand by their
Employers and the reinstatement#o OF 9th
crs dismissed because they opposed their
employers. They bring the courts into
Gisrepute. he said, and attack them pub
!licly. and In their Journals.
b Tho recovery Of the right to- employ
and to be employed without restrictions,
$l,c considered, the most important po-
5litIcal question ever presented to the
American people. H told OF the origin
"a! the Anti-BoycOtt Association, which
had sprung UP because Of the pers ecu
tlon of$n hat manufacturer of Danbury.
Conn, whom organized labor tried Ito
ruin By putting In practice the teachings
or Mr.. Gompers In his Journal. =
Fl InS the course OF his work In this COM
8nection, he had visited many factories
and had been In heart to heart talks
with the workmen. II put to- them this
question" he said . Would you be In
favor OF a law which deprived you Of the
privilege OF working more than eight
hours a day IL you wanted TOT never
found one who favored such q law
A Great Risk.
\ Running his eye around the room and
finally addressing Representative Hearst
In particular, he said. No greater risk
was ever assumed by any party or man
than to put itself or himself on record
as denying the workman the right to
work, II you want to test this put such a
plank In the platform IN your con-
3gresson district and see what happens,
hut don't attempt TO put through sue
+ tyrannIcal law as thus without giving
4 the American people a chance to express
their opinion"
lie said that the provision that under
Z this law workingmen would not be per-
smitted Ia labor more than elght hours
"a day would be the rock on which II
would founder, lie anticipates endless
litigation between the government and
contractors, and between contra ctors and
s,ibcontractors In the attempt to- enforce
such law, It's e y. y. Il
"A During colloquy between Representa-
tive Hearst and Mr. Davenport Mr.
Hearst said that all of his people were
employed eight hours ia day and he did
not find his liberty as an employer was
restricted. # TT y 3, ~ J,
4 nBut that is voluntary on your part, =
responded Mr.. Davenport; while this is
an attempt to enforce 1t by law, and
anything which operates TO defeat the
liberty of. action Is bad" :
Heated Colloq4y,
His face flushed with Indignation. Mr
c;ompers said, ut is such men as Mt
Davenport Rho create Socialists. Ht
was Tired Of having himself and asso'
ciates referred to as .bla tllerski ties,
M CONTINUED f;onb Sixth 3PaEeJ d M SsSS