The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-22
Replies to Petition Of President
GOnpeTs and Others
He DOES NOT MINCE WORDS
The Delegation Is Also Received BY
Speaker Cannon Who Tells Them
They "Are Not the Whole
Shooting Match"

Washington, March q. = President
Roosevelt received a large body of repre-
sentatives of sorganized labor this after
noon at the White House and talked to
them about their urgent request for the
enactment of labor measures now pend
ing before Congress.
Samuel Gompers, president, and Frank
Morrison, secretary, of the American
Federation of Labor. headed the delega-
ton, which consisted OF about 100 men,
bers of the executive council of the
American Federation of Labor and Off
cials of the organizations which comprise
the federation Practically all of the i'm
portant labor organizations of the coun-
try were represented.
Received In Private Office.
The men called by appointment at the
executive offices at 2:5 p. M, and We're
received soon afterward by President
Roosevelt in his private offices and the
adjoining cabinet room. Secretary Nor
rison read to the President memo
rial of the executive council of the Amer
lean Federation urging ACTION on the
various demands for legislation being
made by the organized labor interests
of the country. The memorial dwelt par
ticularly on the eight hour law and its
enforcement ON government works in
cluding the Panama, canal and the immi-
grafton laws, especially the Chinese ex-
cIusion laws.
nd Dnnca N
of Quincy. Mass, first vice president of
the federation and president of the gran
ite cutters union followed with brief
addresses on the lines of the memorial.
President Roosevelt. after listening TO
the statements, replied lin an extended
address on the subjects of general inn
migration and the exclusion of Chinese
labor. the President indicated that he
was in practical accord with them, but
on other matters he differed with them
radically The text of the President s
remarks as given out at the White House
this evening, follows:
President Expresses Views.
"Mr. Gompers: If your body objects TO
the passage Of the proposed anti-injunc-
tion bill, l have no question that you
can stop it, for there is not capitalist
concerned who simply as capitalist is
not against it, though I believe that
a goodly number both of capitalists and
wage-workers who are concerned prima-
rilv as citizens, favor it, The law was
worked over and substantially whipped
into its present shape at number of
conferences between representatives OF
the railroad organizations, of the depart
nent of Justice and of the bureau of
corporations with me. 1t goes as far as
I personally think 1t ought to go in
limiting the right of injunction; at any
rate no arguments have hitherto been
advanced which make me think it should
go farther | do not believe it has any
chance of passing because there had been
great criticism in both houses of Con-
gress against the attitude of the admin
jstration in going so far as we have gone;
and If YOU think it is not far enough, why
YOU will have no earthly difficulty IN
killing the bill. Personally | think the
proposed law a most admirable one and
very sincerely wish it would be put
through.
Must Be Lodged in Courts.
"As for the right of injunction II Is
shsolutelv necessary to have this power
lodged in the courts; though, of course,
any abuse of the power is strongly to be
reprobated. During the Az years tha'
I have been President l do not remember
an instance where the government has
invoked the right of injunction against a
combination of laborers. We have invok-
ft,1x of times against
combinations of capital | think possi-
hlv oftener. But understand me, gentle
men. If | ever thought 1t necessary, IL
thought a combination of laborers were
doing wrong | would apply for an in
i,,nction against them just as quick as
against so many capitalists.
NOW / come to the general subject
of YOUR petition. j wish In the hrs'
Mace to state my regret that you die
not divorce so much of the petition as
refers to the action of the executive from
So much as refers to the action of the
leqislative branch because / cannot con-
s,der any petition that you make that
reeects upon the coordinate branch oi
the government or that makes any
charges whatever against it, L woulc
not even receive 1t save for the fact
that in part 1t affects the executive
Therefore, in what I have to say shal
limit myself solely 10 what you. assert III
reference 10 the acts of the executive.
Regarding Elght-hour Law.
you speak of the S-hour law Youi
criticism so far as it relates to the execu'
tive bears upon the signature of the ap-
propriation bill containing the money foi
expenditure on the Panama canal, with
the proviso that the S-hour law shall moi
there apply. If your statement is intend
ed to mean that no opportunity was Civ
en- for hearing before that this state
ment is not in accordance with the facts
There was ample opportunity that any
one could be heard, but not single re
quest for such a hearing came to me.
received, however. some hundreds of tele
grams and letters requesting the veto o.
the entire appropriation bill because i
contained that proviso. Frankly, / fount
IL difficult to believe that you were writ
ing and telegraphing with any kind o.
knowledge of the conditions in the case
'T believe emphatically in the S-houl
law for our own people in our own coun
try. But the conditions Of labor, such al
we have and the work we have to dt
In the tropics are so absolutely differen
that there Is no possible analogy be
tween the s-hour law for the Panama