The Washington herald., 1914-03-13

any and all circumstances" you are "op-
posed to class legfslafion.
The Payne-Aidrich tariff bili Of 1soe
contains q corporation tax provision and
exempted In direct terms from its pay
ment. fraternal societies. building and
loan associations, cooperative soeieties'
labor unions. etc. Is this not class Leg
isiation?
The Underwood tariff law recently en-
acted contained the provision for the in
come tax. and specifically exempted fra
temal societies, building and loan associa-
tons. cooperative societies, labor unions.
etc. from its payment. That income tax
law exempts from its payment all per-
sons whose incomes are less than S,Wo
per year. Is that not class LEGISLATION!
The income tax law provides a class
of different payments. graduated largely
upon the specific incomes OF each class
Is that not class legislation?
Is not the tariff law In Its entirety a
piece of class legislation?
Under the laws Of the District Of Co
lumbia, personal taxes are imposed upon
certain classes Of people having certain
possessions Is that not class legisla-
tione
One could run the gamut OF the Fed
eral. State and local laws. and find no
end of class legislation. and yet you,
erty, with normal human activity. aye.
with the human soul itself. to save your
iamboyant declaration of emphatic op-
position to class legislation.
No Difference of Opinion.
You say that you believe in labor
unions. That utterance Is not strong.
II is often declared by those who would
be pleased to see the labor unions con-
,ft he IN aahinn nf
psalm singing societies. but to do the real.
normal and the moral thing; to meet the
antagonism of corporate and concentrat-
ed wealth and power; to exercise the
freedom guaranteed by the constitution
of our country. the laws OF the civilized
world: to exercise the normal activities
OF associated effort TO make life the bet
ter worth living and to achieve results
economic. material. political and social
welfare OF the people-the enemies OF
labor would deny. And 1t is but thin
veneer to proclaim ones friendship for
labor. and aid IN the effort to deny the
normal. constitutional and natural func-
tions of associated effort.
That you worked with your hands be-
fore YOU tooL up "newspapering," Is
highly complimentary to you. but the
question Of whether its influence lasted
is one OF interest. 1t is known that
the severest and most cruel task masters
in industry are among those who have
been taken from the ranks and through
favor and circumstance have been raised
over the heads of their fellow workers.
II as you intimate, the subjects were
mere difference OF opinion between
us, should not ha-- interposed by my
letter you published in The Herald Feb
ruary q, or by this but II Is deeper. The
question is fundamental and in
wolves the principle Of freedom, in
wolves the principle whether the volun-
tary associations of men and women to
protect their bodies and their minds.
shall be placed in the same category with
corporations. trusts, and monopolies
which deal with and control the products
of labor. the necessaries OF life and
progress.
In the beginning Of this letter I re-
ferred to the length of time elapsing
between the publication of my letter Of
February 10 and your reply of today.
Was Mr.. Emery, or Mr.. Davenport, Of
the National Association of Manufactur-
ers. out OF the city and not available
either for preparation or approval?
Very truly yours.
SAMUEL GOMPERS,
President. American Federation of
Labor.