New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-30
CAN'T MAKE MEN WORK
BY LAWS, SAYS GOMPERS
Compulsory Arbitration Would
Mean Slavery, He Tells
Civic Federation.
EXPLOSION WOULD FOLLOW
Erdman Act Needs To BE Re-
cast, Declares Marcus M.
Marks-Minimum Wage
Law Criticised.

Samuel Gompcrs. president of tEs Amer
lean Federation o. Labor, told the mem
bers Of the National civic Federation
who were present at the Industrial a"h'-
t:ation and conciliation conference n the
Hotel Aston Yesterday that the workers
81 tho Cnitcd States would eight OefoH"
they would accept such 'omplsory aTbi-
tra;ion laws a. hsvc been proposed III
legislative bills at Albany
Yesterday session, tn" second and its'
OF the conference. was marked b! as
Cussion II the ErdmaI act. arbiIrat"h
under which is advocated b% the !oromo-
tive nremen in their controversy with me
railroads. and by an aHa'Tsis Of 4 mint
mum wage law. S.ch d recently was
iassed in Massachusetts,. Both acts we're
adversely criticised. ths denuHc.ation .oi
the minimum wags legislation be.ng sig
nihcant in that il WAS delivered ny r'-
ward I. McSwecrcy. 4 mem2e' oi VI,
Massachusetts industrial, Accident board
Gompcrs. who spoke carly - inc d.
declared that the wovklnsm5D OF Inc
country would under no conditions con
sent TO the enactment OF laws WHO
would curb or prevent the.' rsht 10 S'"'
work when they chose While aEree'h'
TIA. the prevention of strikes was hisn'!
desirable he cautioned :he 'cd""ato
AGAINST falling into the error o. believing
rI.st such Disturbances could re ctca ',''
by curta.lns rights anc aitempuh- -
make natural activities un.&N'G.' NJ
G,mpers said:
The attc;np. to set away from str ~ ~ :
Dy tho methods proposed = sl!HbI! ~ ~
attempt 10 compress steam mo !" ~
limited space. You may 90 ma -" ,s;o',
while bu, yoU VIII create an eA!''','t
which 10 1yv-CY on earth VII Dc potent -
ptc,ent The compulsory arol':auoA ~
is like other Of its species. - 49,
make it unlawful t"r men ana "o...1 ,,I 80
S,ol work aud would visit 2nN c'>71 ..D!'
from labor with Aacs ana .mprl>O"!I'i ~,
when YOU have done thar YOU haNe -.
away from workers their sole opPo' t4'..l
20 enforce som" ce%re" OF tsSpeC' re.
-bcir claims uDOn society. ara nave r.
estahlished slavery OF the worst hlhd 81"
mis- country. 80 .,.....
You may make the cessation OF Noi"
LEGAL. Ut ,oV wont proven t"t w.
..ys from asserting their flEhL 10 otur
,,.nr.irs You aim TO escape the t1rnosS
re sultHS from industrial WaIiait = az. nH
want @ aid YOU ~ that. mt foi ~ >, 49,, H., q,
sake do'tt burden "ug laws or o"L Hive HIS
t.ial system @. or ives N'ln c'N"i @
c.bj'E must increase our woes thou-
Saadfo.d.
In reply To question from Marcus M
Marks. chairman o. tle conference NJ
Gamrcrs said tat he confined MS suli'-
res entirely 20 compulsory A. b!tF3uoh'
ON, tia hc.a rp,oycd highly 81 arbitration
,,.ti..i O. ,...,ra he voluntary.
Nr. Marks. wto spoke on me Erdmsn
... l.,.... - ,.i. reror, on indls-
-, 60 seid ,.at ts,. depart
.r...;,.5 q, ..o,.f6er lhrec
| "eht H'' 'tS" u''''-" a..
] = b.CstS-'hC E'dmFn ac', N"P'! S'a'0
..,diars,- a. and an irprO, enen, n the
...... ... .c4erai sat. and
le'a' IT'S q" -'' ,.,...
CITY governments ana theI emp g
~ ,lc,rs said in ,art.
49,.
We should nav. an amendlnen' 10 ~
Icdmsn act wu'tu 81 nT'ts,-t @i.et.a
..,sHr r.a ,