The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-12
And Objects to Coolie 1 Labor.
HE ISSUES HOT STATEMENT
Points Out Alleged Inconsistencies
 of Commission.
DecIares That if Flight Hour Law rs Good in United states It shouid
 Ba Geod in Panana.

Washington, August IG--sanus1 Gompers, president of the American Federation Of Labor today issued A statement concerning the action Of the Isthmian Canal Commission in dec1d- ing to introduce Chinese coolie iabor in the work of constructing the canal across the Isthmus of Panama. The statement fa aa foilows:
 1t seems that those in charge of the canal construction have regard for neither law nor principle. First tn tho most extraordinary manner the eight hour law is annuIied in the greatest public work ever undertaken by the government under the pretenae that conditions there are different than ir the United Statex. It must appeal to the veriest tyro that if eight hours work is regarded ae sufgictent in the comparatively temperate xone of fhs United States. certainly ten. eleven and even more hours of labor a day fin the presidential and miaamatie at mosphere Of the Panama zone are nok
 only 1mpropeT but outrageous and brutal
 "The existing law excludes Chinese laborera and cooliea from rhe United States or any of It's poasessions. The Panama Canal zons is an American possession and 1t is aa much a viola ton of law to bring Chinese cooiies there as # is in other portions of our country
 some time ago in an interview I had with Chairman shonts. I protested against the employment of Chinese
 coolies in the Panama Canal opn- struetioh. He emphatically stated thar 1t wac not the intention then to ena- pioy Chinese cooliea and they would not be employed under his admfnsssra- ton"
 MT shonts tonight gave out the fos. Iessfr rts.- rs1.t. sued in Washington by President Com pers of the American Federation oE Labor:
 The eight-hour law does not apply to unskilled labor on the Istiamua oE Panama. The entire present unsklllsd iaber force Is aiienss we cannot secure this class of unskilled labor from tho United States. It Ia. therefore. not seen why law passed in the Interest of American labor at home should be made applicabIe fo aliens who brobs ably have never heard of it's existence.
 Its application would be to ircreaae the labor cost Of the canal several mil. lion dollars. The American iaborers in thls country would have to pay his ation without any compensation beneflt to himself.
 tAt the time of my Interview with Mr. Gompera in discussing the otehf- hour law: aside from what I have all standing of the reason Of the Snacs~ ment of the eight-hour lay in fhis country was primarily to give to the | highest type of labor in the world | longer hours for mental recreation and Improvements; but that with fhe low est class of labor. Rs at Panama, ft 1 was more helpful and improving, moxa | in their interest and more an act ck kindness than otherwise. to permit them to work ten hours a day, and pay them for it--becanse they arc paid l by the hour.
 1 "As to the statement of Azr. Comp CTS that the existing law excludes CfI- nese laborers and coolies from the United States or any of It's posseasi0ns. I the Panama Canal Zone is an Ameri- can possession and 1t is as much violation of the law to bring Chinese coolfes there as 1t is in other portions of our country, can only say that the Commission has secured the opinion of the highest legal authorities of tne Government. It has been held that such law does not apply to the canal zone. The law excluding Chinese from the United States and its poasossionn was passed in March, 1908. and ape-l cIfically set forth that such lawn sh0afd time subject to the authority of the United States The canal zone was an- quired subsequent to that date ana Congress has not extended it's pro- vision so as to embrace the canal zone.
 "The canal must be dug and the first requisite is to have labor 10 dig lt We do not believe 1t wise or economlcnf to depend only on the West Indian ne- groes. We cannot secure tho ursskflied labor in sufiicient volume from the United States. It is therefore not in competition to our own labor and any agreement entered Into will provide for the return of the Chinese direct to China on the completion of service on the canal.
 ''The conversation with Mfr. Gompers. the well known views of MT. ShoneM as to labor on the Isthmus. both with respect to the possibility of the 9z~ ture experiment of Chinese or other wise, were set forth as shown and cozs~ trary understanding must have been due to a miuapprahension as to Aka po-