The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1913-11-07
STANDARDS
OFWORKER
IMPERILED
Secretary Morrison Raps Taft
for Ve,oing Bill to Check
immigration.
A DISMAL PROPHECY
Declares Influx OF Cheap
European Labor Will
Mean Smaller Wages.


perounelns es.prcsicent Tam
for ve,oine the immigration
bill, fs,hered by the American
Federation of Labor. and de-
eIarina employers VINO opposed
the oil we're bent on tearing
down the civilization OF this
country TO fatter their purses
Frank Morrison. secretary of
,hr American Federation of
Labor. made a startling ad-
oress or conditions which
threaten the Pacific coast on
aeeoun, Of the Panama canal
before the Western Labor I'M
r,lora,ion CONGRESS at the la
Dor Temple today.
With over 200 delegates repre-
sentIng every state west OF tae
Mississippi present, the congress
was called TO order this morning
by J. n. Bolton. president OF tue
central labor council
The delegates were welcomed oF
+ p Marsh. president OF the state
Federation OF Labor Then T. J.
STACK president OF the congress
and secretary OF the Oregon state
federation, took the chair ana IN
troduced Morrison.
Morrison said In part;
Represented Big Interests
.sSo president ever sat In the
chair al Washington. who so thor-
oughIy represented the big inter
eats OF this country as did tart
Ay,.r a hostile committee OF con.
xresa had decided that unrestricted
Immigration was proving a menace.
after the house and senate hau
.,,a.s..a a bill by which immigration
could be restricted within reason
able bounds. Taft vetoed IL
~uis excuse was based on ire
svrnathetlc plea OF the lobbyists
a. ranltai that foreigners should
~, ~ excluded ~ IilIteracy.
Only Basis, t's Says
Years of work and invesusation
.h,w that this l. the one basis on
s.htch snrelguers can be judged
rt.s hlIl provided that they must
- Ante To read and write some
language. S ,hu.s neo-
pie but TINS II H"e -
sympathy. It's question OF ou
existence aud welfare. The very
employer who says We snouiu
tend TO these people the chanees
Uttered under our flag TO learn
works these foreigners IL hours
q aay and puts men who SPEAK an
sorert languages together 40 the5
cannot exchange ideas and I'M
prove their conditions.
Tearing own Civilization
"These employers are not bent
on improving the welfare OF ths
,rnrnigrants. but are tearing down
our civilization. Take look al
tho great Bethlehem steel WORKS
and you will see for yourself as ala
that hostile committee OF congress-
"The Pacific coast 10 so FAR
distant from ports OF entry
tina, I, has not felt the effect
of unrestricted immigration.
You have been asleep 70 the
danoer that now confronts you
through the opening Of the pan-
anna canal.
Warns Against Influx
Look around you and yon VIII
find that the men who are clamor'
ing for unrestricted immigration
10 this coast are the same men
who are bent on breaking down the
standards among the working men
Of this coast When these strang
ers come. 500. 900 or 500. 900 Of them
the first year. perhaps. they VIII
have 10 find work. n they can
get 81 a day. they will take 5e
cents. or just enough 20 buy bread
and avoid starvation.
by admitting these people you
are not only hurting yourselves
but the nation from which they
come. n conditions are bad there
the only way they will ever be
bettered will be by forcing the dis
satisfied workers ia remain ant
fight their owr way to victory
Expects Plan Of Action
y believe that this congress vii
work out soBe plan of action. anf
the American Federation Of Labol
will welcome committee from yot
snd give YOU plan careful consider
alton.
"The American Federation Of La
Dor Is continuing It's fight for thii
Immigration bill II now befor'
Congress AID we believe that /
will be- passed at the next session.
G 3. TurIer OF the T. S. imml
grati,n service. warned the confer
ence that the coast had never fel
the 'ull force Of the allen flood Al
It pOurs Lito the East.
Bot yot will feel II when IN
Panama ctnal Is opened" he said
1T Will DO shuman SEQ