The Washington herald., 1913-09-11


tions.
Mr.. Gompers said the A. f. of L.
lo >'nted about 100000 individuals in its
rauAs, including 1SS international unions,
| thirty-eight State federations, 900 city
central bodies, and 500 Federal labor
unions.
What connection is there between the
American Federation Of Labor and the
Knights of Labor asked Representa-
tive Willis
Just the relationship that exists be-
tween living. working organism and a
corpse" replied GOmpers.
| Asked for a list of the measures the
Federation has advocated, he mentioned
the law calling for uniform couplers on
trains; the law requiring complete train
crews; limiting the hours of employment
a trainman may fill in each twenty-four
hours; limiting the hours of employment
for women and children; the creation OF
the bureau of mines; legislation favor
able to seamen whose vessels have
reached a safe harbor; the movement
which resulted in a shorter working day
for government employees; obtaining
vestibuled street cars in the District OF
Columbia; compulsory education and
| free text books; liberalization of the em-
ployers' liability law: workmen's COM
pensation (up to a point where Oppo-
sition from the trainmen caused the A.
F. of L. to withdraw support; industrial
and vocational education; prohibiting
more than eight hours daily labor on
government work, and other measures
Taft Favored DiII.
Referring to the workmen's compen-
! sation bill, which passed the Senate at
| the last session and. died in the House
Committee. Gompers said:
Taff In
terested in the enactment of that bill,
and though he had the honor Of differing
with me on many subjects, We agreed
| that the wOrkmen's compensation bill
ought to be enacted"
Chairman Garrett called his attention
| to the fact that National Association OF
| Manufacturers also supported the work
| mems compensation DILL Gompers vIg-
Orously denied that he had any evidence
of such support.
When telling OF the efforts OF the
| A. +. Of l. TO secure the enactment OF
a vocational and industrial education
| bill, Gompers again was reminded by
Chairman Garrett that this bill had been
supported by the N. a. NJ.
That was another point OF agree
ment with the n. A. NJ. wasn't it?'
| asked the chairman with a grin.
Il do not know" replied Gompers.
TO me and my associates the only
way in which we were made aware of
the existence of the n. a. NJ. was by
way OF indicative opposition
well, was just trying to see IL l
| couldn't get you two together on some
thing explained Garrett with a laugh
Emery Defines Power.
That it is entirely within the power of
Congress to protect itself from the pres
sure of outside forces tending to influence
legislation was declared by James A
Emery, general counsel of the National
Council FOR Industrial Defense, at yester-
days session.
Replying to a question by Representa-
tive Willis, of the committee, as to what
kind of legislation could be enacted which
would prevent members OF Congress from
receiving letters or kilograms from peo-
pie living in their Congressional district,
or from writing to their constituents,
Mr.. Emery said:
There is no way at all TO do that. ex-
cept by changing the form of government
But the Congress of the United States
may protect itself against having any
member of that body pledged and giving
his assurance that he will vote for legis-
latiOn for or against a particular class.
You are the sole Judges of the quail
fiCation of your own members, and you
can expeI a man for having made such
promise. whether it be made to the Amer
lean Federation OF Labor or to the Ma
tiOnal Association of Manufa cturers, so
that it cannot be written into the-Eecoru
tina. the American Federation Of Labor
elected sixteen members of Congress.
IF the National Association Of Manu-
faCturers should publish in American In
dustries a statement that they elected
five members OF Congress or ten MEM
bers of the association to Congress or
that they had n member of the Presi-
dents Cabinet, every yellow journal in
America would have a hemorrhage the
next morning
With regard to the difficulties OF work.
ing out restrictive legislation along the
line indicated, he added:
'On the one hand, you have the great
class OF men who talk about a greater
participation of business men in politics.
here is the situation that led to our es-
tablishment here: only call your atteR-
ton to this from a business standpoint. !
English Legislation Cited.
"In 1SOS-O9 there were proposed in the !
English Parliament 54S measures, ana
there were enacted into law 239. In this |
country. with 20 Oo0,OOO population, there !
was proposed one new law for approxi- !
mately every 1,CO0 of the population. |
while in Great Britain they proposed one |
measure for every 1000 of the people In |
the United States. with 100000 people |
We enact one new law every year for |
every 4.JO0 Of our population. and in |
Great Britain. with 100000 population. |
they enact one new law every year for |
every $4,000 of their population.
I'VE are n people with a penchant for |
law making, and We are developing an |!
increasing tendency to regard our Legis- |
latures or permit them to regard them /
selves as political physicians. This vast |
volume of legislation must necessarily |
contain many problems of unusual in
terest and Importance TO commerce and |
industry. The business man is merely /
the citizen at work; and whatever affects |
the citizen at work. whether you call |
him manufacturer, merchant or CONNER
Cial agent, or workman; mechanic or |
laborer. must necessarily affect every
activity of the citizen in every DEPART
ment of life, because the principal bust
ness of man is to earn living"
At the conclusion of his testimony, Mr.. |
Emery paid the committee a graceful |
tribute for its fairness during the in
quiry.