The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-17
President Taft Discusses iil tGrs WIZ
 
 pGfs U .atfS
INVESTIGATION WILL BE
 MADE IF ALL QUESTIONS
Labor Leaders Are Greatly Pleased By Their Reception and Hope to Have Many Difficult Points
 Fully Cleared Up.

Washington. April 16.-President Taft discussed the problems of the working man for two hours today with the members of the executive council of the American Federation of Labor, which is in session in this city.
 The labor leaders, headed by Samuel Gompers, president of the federation, called at the White House to present tv the President a number Of matters of vital interest to organized labor MT. Gompers declared that the President not only gave the spokesman of the party all the time they desired to lay their mat ters before him, but joined himself in the discussion from time to time to bring out fuller information on the various subjects as they were reached.
 In the delegation which saw the Pres ident were the representatives of most of the trades affiliated with the American Federation, among them a number of leaders who stubbornly opposed Mir Taft in his presidential campaign. The PresI- dents greeting was cordial alike to MT. Gompers and all who accompanied him.
 Taft Will Investigate.
 When the conference had reached it's close the President told his callers he would investigate the matters presented which seemed to him to require such ac- tion and that he would be glad to help so far as his opportunities would per- init in arriving at a proper solution of the difficulties with which the working people found themselves confronted while inn inc tbo inta the whole people in view.
 The labor leaders seemed pleased with their reception. They took up with the President imposing array of problems, including the | 4tter Of injunction, the S-hour law. convict labor. and re- I cent indictment of labor leaders in the south for alleged violations of the Sher- man antitrust law, the danger of a dis solution of all labor organizations under strict interpretation of recent decis- ions of the supreme court, the maint- enance of international peace, the labor problems on the Panama canal and ad- herence to the right of asylum in this country for political offenders from other lands and child labor.
 President Taft told the labor leaders that he regarded the matter of an anti injunction law as one of the most import ant phases of his administration. He added that he felt he had made his po- sition clear on the subject in his speech of acceptance last July at Cincinnati, and had confirmed that position in his inaugural address The President said he would be glad to converse further with the representatives of organized la Dor as to amendments, when a bill for the next Congress has been framed.
 Leaders Who Called.
 Charles P. Neill, the government conn., missioner of labor, was present through out the hearing. The members of the leg islatiye council who called were Samuel Gompers, Frank Morrison James Dun can, John Mitchell, James O'Connel, MaN Morris, William Huber John B. Lennon, John R. Alpine and Joseph Valentine
 In beginning the interview with the President, MT. Gompers said the council desired, first of all, to express apprecia- tion of the government in standing by the principle of the right of asylum in the, United States for persons charged with political offenses in other countries as ex- emplified in the recent cases of Pouren and Rudowitz, the Russian refugees.
 With reference to convict labor. MT. Gompers told the President that organized labor desired that this class of labor shall be regulated, not prohibited. The idea is to prevent conVict-made goods and work from coming into competition with the labor of free men.
 The Federation council urged the Presi- dent to use his efforts for an extension of the eight-hour law, so that 1t will ap- ply to contractors and sub-contractors furnishing materials and fittings for gov ernment buildings and other government works. The law now applies only to government works
 Wide Discussion.
 fo fha organizations, under recent decision of the courts, the discussion widened broad ly. 1t centered about the supreme court decision in the famous hatters' case, under which certain phases of labor or ganizaton methods were declared to he in contravention of the Sherman anti trust law. MT. Gompers told the Presi- dent that since that decision and under an interpretation of it. seventy-fve men have been indicted in New Orleans it be- ing alleged that they quit work in support of other workmen who were engaged in a strike.
 Under a further interpretation Of that decision" said MT. Gompers, labor unions can he dissolved by any move on the part of the federal government Men can be arrested indicted, and sentenced to year in prison and fine of S5O00 Officers and members of the union also can be proceeded against civillv and threefold damages be assessed against them in any amount that may be com planed of by any person claiming to have suffered by reason of men quitting work or withholding their patronage"
 President Taft was asked if there was any truth in the report that American workingmen. principally laborers belong ing to American unions, are being laid off at the Isthmus of Panama to make room for foreigners. The President said he had not even heard of such a report and did not believe 1t could be true.
 Suicide Club Indicated.
 Liverpool April GA London newspaper says that there has been discovered the fua rxavolvers ,cad hy Ma rpa ret (starh