Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-20
DEMOCRATS ARE SPLIT
ON TABOR AMENDMENT
Breach in Ranks of Party in House
Over Exempting Unions From
Sherman Antitrust Act.
Representative Henry of Texas
Champions Demand Made by
the A. f. of L.

The democrats in the House are grow
ing daily conscious Of a breach in their
ranks. which is more serious than any
Of them thought it could possibly he.
at the time when Judge Alton b.
Parker advised the American Fedora
tion of Labor 10 make firm demand
for the paragraph in the clayton bill
which would exempt labor unions from
the action of-the Sherman antitrust
act. The situation is acute. with vote
the amendment. which VIII surely
he offered. coming nearer every minute.
Many democrats expressed themselves
as thoroughly out of sympathy with
the method that has been pursued III
demanding fHis paragraph. one Of the
leaders. ON whom the President is re-
wing al this juncture, said today
Il will walk out of Congress before l
will be held no and terrorized into
voting for any such drastic amendment
which will make of labor unions the
most cZarlike trusts in the world.
On the other hand the labor group in
Congress is Growing loudly. and their
hopes We're expressed by Representa-
tive Henry Of Texas. who predicted a
sure success for the labor union eN-
eulptiOn amendment. and after making
the speech went up in the galleries and
shook hands with Secretary Frank Nor
Labor, who had listened TO the utter
Henry's Wrath Aroused.
Representative Henry's assurances were
given after Representative Gardner of
Massachusetts, had upbraideo the rules
committee for bringing i'll rule which
may result in protecting members from
the cold hillside Of a yea and nay record
vote on this ticklish labor amendment.
Representative Gardner told the rules
committee it was cowardly to dodge the
issue in that way This aroused the
Texas wrati, of Representative Henry.
who said:
Let me warn tine gentleman that until
he becomes more friendly to the labor Or
ganizatfons of this country We cannot
profit by any advice from him. Now, Mr..
Speake.'. let me serve notice on him that
when the antitrust bill bearing the name
of the distinguished gentleman from
Alabama ,Mr. Clayton is up for consid-
Grafton under the five-minute rule it will
be in order to offer amendments without
limit and to freely debate them And
let me further advise him that there will
be an amendment in plain and clear-cut
English Language eNempting directly and
specifically labor organizat lions and farm
ers' organizations from tie provisions of
the antitrust law. We have the votes to
put it on in the committee of the whole.
and in the House Of Representatives as
we'll So he need not be alarmed AN
squarely for this Samuel Gompers amend
nant-
He need not be distressed about this
matter. Every members vote will be
under stood in the committee of the whole,
and In the House after the bill is re-
ported there. and he will find that there
VIII be no friend of labor tagging on this
side of the House. and we Will again
write INTO the Law. as we have done
several tlnnes heretofore. a provision eX-
empting those organizations from the
provisions Of the antitrust law. as in
tended when II was passed i'll 1899
Democrats Not towards, He Says.
You need not presuppose the demo-
Gratis are towards on this question And
] do not suppose the members OH that
side are towards. because I expect most
Of you to vote against labor as you
have done heretofore. For more than
twenty years the labor organizations OF
TINS country stood before the door OF
this House and before the Speakers room
and urged the passage OF suc.i legislation
as contained in the Clay ton antitrust
measure You and your party spurned
their request You denied tuem the right
70 be heard on the floor OF this House
sd; no sooner HAD the democracy gone
into power in tire Eoase Of Representa-
trNes than We passed those bills which
had been suppressed by the distinguished
former Speaker. Mr. Cannon and his Off
cial regime that advised ami co-operated
with him Oh these matters. They are in
this bill. and they soiiig to remain
there. and We are going to vote for them
and Intend to give to the la Dor organiza-
tons aId the people OF this country the
laws they have been ciamoring for dur
ing neari. a quarter of a century. And
the program tx going through the Sen
ate ard the bills will go to the Pres;-
dent. and the executive that the demo-
cratic voters Of this countf, put in DOW er
viii give relief to the people
ffe gentleman from Kansas tMr
'a.apoeiD may question the sincerity of
the President by innuendo and make un-
just charges against him. yet I tell him
that the American people believe in
WOODROW Wilson and know that he. is
honest and OH their side