The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-03-19
SMALL CHANCE
FOR LABOR BILL
White House Conference Did
Not Result in an
Agreement.
SETH LOW Is DISCOURAGED
PRESIDENT WILL NOT STAND
FOR BoYcoTTs.
SETH LOW Is DISCOURAGED

Washington, March 1S.-Details of the
conference yesterday between Seth Low
of New York. president of the Civic
Federation, and Samuel GOmpers, pres
1dent of the American Federation of
Labor, which are slowly coming to
light, Indicate that labor is not yet COM
mitted to legislation about to be urged
by President Roosevelt along the lines
recommended by the federation. There
Is difference of opinion that threat
ems to OYerturn the program, it was
learned tonight from an authoritative
source. MIR. Low is said to have re-
turned to New York much discouraged.
He had expected to be able to harmon
ize the points on which the labor inter-
ests, repr esented by Mr.. Gompers, failed
TO conform with the program of the
Civic Federation.
Where Roosevelt BaIks.
The officials Of the American Fedora
tion of Labor are said to be withhold
ing their support from the program be-
cause the president feels that he can
not endorse legislation which would
legalize trade bOycotts by the labor
unions. The provisions of the proposed
bill exempting labor organizations from
The operations of the Sherman anti
trust law was the medium through
which ii was intended 20 secure fun
endorsement by the American Fedora
ton of Labor. At the conference at the
White house. which Mr.. Gompers at
tended. it appears, organized labor was
in complete accord with the program of
the Civic Federation. Later, however,
Mr.. Gompers conferred with some of
his associates in the American Fedora
ton. and the consensus of opinion was
that the president in his message 10
congress should recognize the right of
organized labor to withhold its trade
from concern whose manner of con-
Quoting its business was inimical to or
ganiZed labor.
Against Boycotts.
Ii is said that the president would
not agree to this, and, in fact, that he
was disposed to urge that bOycOtts
should be suppressed by legislation
which otherwise was fair to the labor
unions. II was Mr.. Lows mission in
calling on Mr.. Gompers yesterday to
Nshow him that the presidents message,
If it was TO have force, must be
couched in language in juxtapOsition to
the decisions of the supreme court on
this question. No agreement was
reached and. in fact, Mr. Gompers in
dictated that he would prefer that the
Sherman antitrust law should con-
ti1iue to apply to labor unions rather
gnan consent to a program which
fuight effectdally stif1e for all time the
use of the boycott as a weapon.
Changed His Plans.
In the meantime the presidents
ideas in regard to the message he
plans sending TO congress outlining re-
lief mea sures, according to persons who
have discussed the subject with him,
have undergone a change. If mes
sage is sent to congress it will not be
until after the Civic Federation's bill
has been introduced. That measure
has been prepared, although the pro-
visions in it are not yet public, and it
is the plan TO have it offered III the
house early next week by Representa-
1--WE Hepburn of iowa. President
Roosevelt has not found a senator who
Tapproves the measure on whomshe is
Willing to place the responsibility of
champiOning the measure in the upper
body. Therefore the bill viii not be
introduced simulta neously in both
branches OF congress. 1t win depend
upon the fate of the bill in the house
whether il reaches the senate at all.
That the support of labor organizations
IS necessary to the success of the pro-
gram is the belief expressed by some
of the leaders of the house tonight.
The president was the guest this
evening or Representative LOnSWOrtn
at dinner which was attended also
by Speaker Cannon. It is not unlikely
that the subject of the Civic Fedora
tons bill was discussed.
Numerous Conferences
Numerous conferences have been
s held at the capitol between senate and
"A hOuse Republican leaders. at which the
Prospects for passage of a relief bill
have been considered. Senator Can
non and Representatives DalZen and
Sherman met the senate leaders today
at Senator Aldrich's committee ROOM
Although none of those present had
seen the bill, it was agreed that only
such legislation can pass at this seS-
sion as meets with general approval