The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-05
Hearing on Amendment to tho Antitrust Bill Causes q
 Lively Debate
KEEN ARGUMENT MADE
 FOR LABOR BY GOMPERS
Questions of Strike and Boycott Gene Up and Are Argued, Gompers De- claring the Sherman Law
 Medieval In Nature.

Washington, April 4-(special. )-Repre- sentative Charles E. Littlefeld of Maine and Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, clashed to- day in the opening hearing on the civic federation bill amending the Sherman antitrust act. It developed clearly that MT. Littlefield is hostile to all sections of the bill granting concessions to labor. while MT. Gompers indorsement of the measure was qualified
 It was the first time that Mir. Little field and Mir. Gompers had come face to face since MT Gompers in continuation of the long standing fight of organized labor against Representative Littiefeld said that MT Littleheld has yellow streak down his back" Nr. Little6eld has resigned as member of Congress-. His action, it is charged by labor lead CTS, was due to his fear to meet ths labor organizations in a fight for re-elec- tion Mir Littlefeld was none too cordial in his treatment of labor leaders and his criticisms of the civic federation bill were frank and caustic. It is evident, however, that other members of the com Ahllte uO not snare n1S views.
 In his address to the committee on the bill MT. Gompers recalled the fact that apprehendnig trouble for labor organi- zations by court decisions under discus- sions of the Sherman antitrust law. he had endeavored to induce the judiciary committee in 1901 to amend the bill ex- pressly exempting labor organizations and associations from it's provisions.
 'The chairman of tMs subcommittee was a member of that committee and he will no douDt recall the fact" said MT. Gompers.
 q recall it, and I was one of the seven or nine members to vote against tho amendments,' announced MT. Littleheld.
 Yes. retorted MT. Gompers, "and some of those members are not now in Con gress. and others will soon cease to be members"
 Llttlefeld's Teegrams.
 Before the hearing was fairly begun. MT Littlefeld laid before the committee number of telegrams he had received from business houses and corporations in opposition to the bill and especially to all legislation intended to. or which would have the effect of legalizing the boy colt. Some of the messages read:
 For Gods sake. kill the Hepburn bill"
 If this bill, which legalzes boycott. is passed the country will be handed over to the democrats.
 "Kill the bill or all confidence in our government will be destroyed"
 MT. Gompers said that he gave his hearty support to all that portion of the bill affecting common carriers and corpor- ations with capital stocks. He opposed the registration of voluntary corporations ttfll, fnI 1.f- unions or organizations and voluntary as- sociations of agriculturists.
 He further urged that the bill be amend ed so as to specifically exempt from the operations of the Sherman antitrust law all labor unions and organizations and farmer associations. and that farmers should not be prevented or prohibited from entering into agreements or combin- ations to enhance the value of their own products.
 Argument By Gompers.
 "The purposes of this bill" said Mir. Gompers "is that business men should have freedom in the transaction of their business and heartily commend it. Mod ern business cannot be conducted on old notions Interference by the government should be of the least possible character.
 Every person who attempts 10 enlarge his business comes under the existing law. It is a curb on individual initiative. The Sherman law Is an anti-corporation law, not an antitrust law.
 "It Is law against associated efforts; such law obtained 20oo years ago Tn Rome There is nothing that labor organi- cations can do to enforce fair treatment but what is now enjoined and punishable. It Is a government by law and endangers individual liberty. Capital is an inanimate thing
 .'The product of effort used to make greater wealth-iabor-is 8 living. breath Ing thing. With the abolition of slavery. man became possessed of himself, owning his labor to setli or withhold as he saw 1t.
 There are some who hope that labor organizations will be driven out of exis- tence. their money taken from them py fines and penalties. This will never be. You may drive them into secret oath bound organizations but you cannot klll them by ukase or injunction.
 'I dread to think of possibilities of an individual struggling for himself and fail ing to think within himself of means of redress.
 Industrial Depression.
 'In our awful present industrial condi- ton of depression, hundreds of thousands in likeness, where in all the world would exist the conditions of general tranquility and peace as now exists here? The Ideals of the country have done much toward this but labor organizations have done nothing. TO grant to the worlSinsman academic rights he does not want and take from him or withhold those rights to which he is entitled is an insult to his intelligence
 You have to turn industry back D years to comply with the existing law. But the law is not a fetish Industries cannot be turned back. When industries and law clash tho law must be amended Or ended. Since the supreme court decis- ion holding strikes by labor organizations ns conspiracies, 10 men have been indicted in New Orleans or the charge of con s,racy because they ordered strike.
 q do not know that the present bill is to relieve labor organizations from un- Just features of the sherman antitrust get Therefore. | suggest these amend rnents We must have boycotts and