Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-04-14
Members of Organized Labor at Hartford Hear
ing on House Bill 635.
VIEWS OF PRESIDENT CHAs j. DONAHUE
OF State Federation of Labor-Languase of the Bill
Should be Made Characterization that Intimidation
is Not Defined in Present Law and that Men May be
Sent to Jail Unjustly.

, trv to persuade another man not 10
enter the employ of certain persons II
could be called an act of intimidation
and he could not see how speaking the
truth against a concern could be call
ed crime. =
When It Is Conspiracy"
'rWhen corporations get together"
said the speaker, 1T is a mutual in
terchange of IDEAS but when the
workers get together it is 'conspira-
cv.'" He said that he would not OBJ
iect to the repeal of the law winch
provides that employers must not dis
charge men because they belong to a
union, as there is no posslplllty Oh us
enforcement, as the employer has only
to say that he does not like a mans
work.
Labor Employer Next Speaker.
TIE next sneaker was L. M. Roszelle
Of Hartford. who said that he was
both a member of labor organization
and an employer of labor; He advo-
Gated the right of free speech and said
that the present law does not allow
that right guaranteed by the constitu-
ton. He said that men. under the
present vague law, have been lmprls
oned for doing what they believed they
had a moral right to do and legal
right as we'll
He thought that the temperance
people and even voters use the boy
colt against certain politicians at
times. "Boycotts and strikes are great
evils, but not as great as is the con-
tinued dependence Of the working
classes upon capital Governor i4illey
in his kindly heart has interested
himself in this measure and has rec
commended the clearing ND OF the law
Iron Moulders' Side.
Dennis O'Keefe of New Britain. a
member Of the Iron Moulders union,
went quite deeply into the case of the
state VS.. MCGEE under the present law
in which MCGEE is now serving term
in Jail. He thought that 1t was a
shame upon the laws of Connecticut,
and said that the employers are not
afraid Of the individual, but of the or
ganization. He stated that he had not
worked at his trade for six years, as
he claims to have been blacklisted.
Never Saw Such Drastic Law.
Sol Sondtheimer was the next --eak-
er. He said that the labor interests
do not want a law which would al
low the commission of cri--'e ''rIt that
they do want a law that is fair to all
and they want to be placed on an equal
footing with the other citizens of the
state. He said that he had worked IN
many states. but that he never saw
Sutl a sweeping Gnu h4dlSlAO law do
that in Connecticut on this subject.
Tn an interview with the late Sem
ator Hanna" said the speaker, "he
said to me, If I had to work with my
hands for a living, the first thing l
would do would be to join my labor
union" He thought that the manu-
facturers would have little use for
the injunction when they could send
the laboring men to Jail when they
exercise the right Of free speech.
Other Speakers.
c. Hall of South Norwalk objected
to the law on similar grounds.
+. CRUDE of New Haven, a cigar
maker, said that the law is being used
as a weapon by the economically
strong against the economically weak
and that if this sort Of thing -oes on
the country need not be surprised at
violations of other laws. He thought
that the clause Of the law which re-
CARDS compelling people against their
will' was so broad and sweeping that
1t would allow every man engaged in a
trade dispute to be sent to Jail.
Will Give Another Hearing.
The committee desired to close the
hearing at four o'clock and will rive
another hearing. Charles Z. Gross 49,
peared in favor Of the law and will be
heard at the next hearing after the
lawyer of the organized labor forces
has made his presentation of the case
before the committee.