The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-03-22

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IN the address presented yesterday 70
/ the President and 10 Congress ,nea,,,
/ exactly what il said. That is II Con-
gress fails 20 remedy the grievances
the organization VIII appeal direct 70
\ the people
VIII Enter Politics.
In other words. he said. the Fedora
ton OF Labor viii enter the field Of
politics and urge organized labor Ia
elect men Of their OWN choosing. and
4 thus have a personal voice In the Gov
7 ernment-
I The paragraph 70 which Mr.. GomperS
referred IS as follows:
/ Labor now appeals 10 you, and ne
/ trust that it may not be in vain. But
/ II perchance you may not heed Us, We
shall appeal 10 the conscience and the
( support Of our fellow citizens"
1 Mr.. GoTnpers said he had a hiSh re-
/ gard for the officials visited yesterday
I and the reception accorded the executive
council ana the representatives OF the
labor unions was most pleasant, but
. neither the Speaker nor the President.
{ according 70 Mr GOmpers. said aDv-
tnlng that could De accepted as q conf
piiance with the desires of LABOR aS ex-
pressed IN the petition presented by the
executive council.
Mr- Gompers said the meeting OF YES
! teTday had all been arranged hv cor
respOndence and that the apT,oinrr9en7
With Speaker Cannon was not bv teIe-
phone as reported President CsomDers
! SAID that arguments against the de-
Hclency bill, which contained The
amendment abrogating the eIeht-hour
law, was published IL the March num-
Der OF the Official organ Of the a. F. J.
and a copy OF the argument was sent
n
passed BY the House The letters ano
kilograms sent the President before the
OH rached him were arEumnts OF labor
against approving the measure, said
President GOmpers-
Formulating Bill of Particulars.
Part OF the session OF the executive
council OF the American Federation or
Labor today was devoted 10 ar in
formal discussion OF the events OF yes
terday afternoon. when Speaker Can
non ana President Roosevelt expressed
their sentiments in extempOraneous ad-
dresses in reply TO the uItfmatum pre-
sented by President Gompers and the
federation presidents in relation to the
alleged remissness OF the Government
in granting the demands of organized
labor
Thus far the questions involved have
not been altogether cleared up. and
further discussion and conferences may
be required 10 lead to a fun under
standing. President Roosevelt asked
the delegation for a bill OF particulars
relating 70 alleged violations of the
eight-hour law. and President GOmpers
Will head committee OF three which
viii formulate a report on that subject,
and which will give details in accord
ance with his wishes President ROose-
velt has promised that the charges
shall be investigated without delay
The protests yesterday drew replies
from President Roosevelt and Speaker
Cannon, both OF whom defended the
course Of their departments OF the Gov
ernment- The President defended the
Gilbert aDti-injunction bill admitted
that he had a hand in framing il. aud
defended broadly the right Of Injunction
he pointed ont that the Government has
invoked II against combinations or
capital, though never against combiua-
lions OF labor; but he added that he
would certainly employ II against labor
manded-
Labor Conditions in Panama.
The President defended the abroEation
OF the eight-hour law in the Canal Zone.
and likewise explained and defended his
policy toward Chinese immigration. say
ing he would do all possible TO enable
upper-class Chinese 10 come here for
business and intellectual purposes. but
would at the same time enforce as well
as possible the law against coolies com
ing in. He insisted that there ought 10
be a better general code Of immigration
laws to make possible some discrimina-
ton, az our ports, between the desirable
and undesirable classes OF immigrants
President Gompers VIII not admit the
correctness Of President ROOSevelt's Do
siJiOn in his opposition 10 a number OF
the demands contained IN the memorial
presented. The subcommittee of three
will present further arguments particu-
larly on the application Of the eight-hour
law TO the Isthmus of Panama. Upon
this question. however, the President IS
not inclined 10 yield an inch. not even on
the covert threat contained in that fes-
ture Of the memorial which promises
that labor will If not needed appeal
to the conscience and the support Of our
fellow citizens
Members OF the House OF Representa-
tives, however. view this declination 10
give more serious heed to the complaints
contained IN the memorial. which are
directed more specifically against House
committees. It is expected that the La
Dor Committee, at its next session. viii
give serious consideration TO the men,
orial In question
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