The Washington herald., 1914-06-14
PREs'DElgTY DILEMMA "
Labor Exemption Problem May Soor
Cohfrsnt Hin Assin.

Even; the most accomplished side
steppere can9ot keep on "s.de-steppins'
indefinitely. He win come up sooner or
later head-on against . situation which
Will not allow itself to be "side-stepped." ("
Then at last that plain word must be
spoken from which the esiftsd phrase
maker hoped to stink away.
President Wilson is about to be put in
the unenviabie position of q phrase
maker brought to book. He has
undoubtedly been consratulatinE him.
self on having gotten through the
House Of Representatives the fam
Gus now-you-see-them-now- you-don't-see
them farmers and union labor ex-
emptions Of the Clayton antitrust bill.
He has been taking pride In the neatness
of job in phrasemaking which will
not only allow Mr.. Gompers TO say that
union labor and farmers organizations
are exempted from prosecution under
the Sherman antitrust law, but viii also
allow the President TO say that the Sher-
man law has not been Uttered particle
and that violations OF It's provisions
against combinations In restraint Of trade
will be prosecuted without any regarl
whatever to class or vocational distinc-
tions a So great Is the merit Of a little
verbal manipulation, which countenances
two contradictory interpretations and
leaves the clash between them to be set
tied by the courts.
The President has established friendly
enough relations with the Clayton gold
brick exemptions. But in engaging TO
join In the pleasant process of side
stepping the meaning OF the Clayton
bills concessions TO labor" he seems to
have forgotten all about the plain ac-
knowledgement of class legislation en-
bodied in the rider put on the sundry
civil appropriation law last year. the
principle of which he denounced al
though he approved the bill. To his
astonishment and embarrassment Con-
gress is going to reincorporate that rider
in this years sundry civil appropriation
bill. Why shouldn't it, since everybody
nowadays Is trying to make things as
pleasant as possible for Mr.. Gompers?
Congress is going TO say again that no
part of the appropriat tion made in the
sundry civil bill for the enforcement CT
the antitrust laws shall be used for the
prosecution Of labor organizations COM
bining TO increase wages, to shorten
hours. or TO secure better conditions
Of labor. or for prosecuting farm pro-
ducers combining TO put up the prices
of their products.
Mr.. Wilson was not as expert a side
stopper" last year as he is now. He ad-
mitted then that Congress was trying
to get him to approve a glaring piece of
class legislation. He was bold enough
to say that the limitation put on the use
Of the funds was ''unjustifiable in char
actef and principle" Will he retain
enough backbone to repeat that criticism
this year and to veto the bill, as Presi-
dent Taft vetoed II two years ago. be-
cause II contains vicious class legisla-
ton whose evil character was known
in advance to Congress?
The President might be able to approve
the Clayton gold brick exemptions IL
the bills containing them should ever
reach him. He could say that he didn't
know what they meant and that he was
satisfied to PASS them along 10 the courts.
But he can't say that he doesn't know
what the sundry civil az preparation bill
exemptions mean. He is on record as
to what they mean. II he signs another
sundry civil appropriation bill contain
ing those exemptions he win sign away
his character for courage and straight
forwardness. He Kill sink. even lower
than the dema soxues IN Congress who
have gladly given -A4r-sss1perr ali that
he has asked They hsSe never professed
any great hostility to class legislation.
II the Gompers concessions are class
legislation they are not against IL. but
for it
But Mr.. Wilson has said that he is
against clsss legislation. He has pledged
himself against any discrimination in the
enforcement Of the antitrust law. He
will soon he in a position where he cam
not ''side-step'' that pledge. He will soon
reach the end OF the blind alley of equivo-
cation. VIII he redeem his reputation
by denouncing the Gompers gold brick"
compromises as they ought TO be de-
nounced, or will he for he sake of curry
ing favor with labor accept the odium OF
refusing to do what he knows TO be just
and rightc-New York Tribune