Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-01-23
G0MPERS SEES
GREAT DANGER
IN FOUNDATIONS
PhiIanthrOpies Of Rich Are At
tempting to Shape Public
Opinion, Labor Leader AS
serts at Hearing.


New York. Jan z2.--Samnel Com
pers. president Of the American Eel
GRAFTON ~ Labor. does not believe that
arr conclusion the Rockefeller f0un-
dalton might reach as 10 industrial
conditions would carry conviction -
Z the workers Of the country or greatly
I Influence the employers 81 labor. He
said 50 today In festi7yiHg before the
Z INQUIRY being conducted here By me
T United states commission on indus
/ trial relations into the administration
n the great philanfhrople foundations
( ~ the country and the cause Of IN
dustrLtl unrest.
The Rockefeller foundation recent
I IS appointed william Lyon Macken-
zie King, former Canadian minister -
Z labor. Il make q study of Industrial
E relations
Thinks Foundations Dangerous.
The Effort Of the Rockefeller foun-
/ dalton 10 undertake 10 be an ail-per-
ivaaing machinery for the moulding
II the minds II the people IN Their
constant human struggle" said Mr..
( Gompers. should be curbed BY law
or regulation. / understand the fOun-
dation useJ its influence 10 get is
I representative Ia the list Of Officials
I in the federal government and that
this gave the foundation the right u
the franking privilege. This. ! think.
vas a fraud upon the government, q
violation OF the principles OF educa-
ton and az imposition upon tie peo-
pie Of this country. do not think
Z the people are ready te surrender
I their rights. especially to a founda-
T ton which has Eueh history behind
Z il % the means BY which the money
was first made and later accumuiat-
ed"
! on tie question Of 5urisdictional
disputes. Nr Gompers said the lead
ers ~ labor always did their best 70
settle them peacefully and prevent
w0rkmen from striking against each
other. to the detTimens o. themselves
and the innocent employer"
The trouble with many employers
asserted the witness. IS that they for-
get that they are doing business In
/ the twentieth century and not in the
sixteenth. when workers were con-
sldered slaves
/ Undesirable Immigrants.
SIR. Gompers dwelt AZ length on the
question OF immigration He asserted
! that ~ the termination Of the war
in Europe. the now belllgerent ma
I lions would do everything in their
power to keep the remaining strong,
I HEALTHY men az home. They would
al the same time Try to induce weak
and debilitated citizens TO emigrate.
These men. the witness said, would
come 20 the United States and go 10
work for big corporations 10 the detri-
ment ~ the present workers.
II have reason TO believe, MI.
Gompers continued that the great
/ steamship companies. and the big cor
rorations are in cah0ots, and VIII,
under the pretense OF liberalism, COM
bat any legislation designed 10 re-
strict immigration. If had supreme
power / would certainly place limit
upon immigration. | do not think
would close our ports absolutely 20
immigrants, however.
Mr. Gompers believed that for labor
unions to show spirit was good
thing As for good and bad unions,
[ the witness said. there were plenty
Of the former, but none Of the latter
"A magnificent union from the en-
ployers' viewpoint" said Mr.. Com
pers. is one wherein the members
meet, sing Ny Country It's Of Thee,
and then 60 home and say what q
jolly good fellow the boss is; in other
words, il Is "a good dog without teeth.
Rcsenis Questions.
While he WAS testifying he was in
directly questioned by Walter Drew,
! attorney for the Merchants and Manu-
factUrers' association and counsel for
the National Erectors' association at
the time of the Mcnamara dynamite
case. Mr. Gompers branded as an
intentional insult a question by Mr..
Drew as to the use Of dynamite and
VIOLENCE in labor disputes. Later Mr..
Drew persfstea IN interrupting the
witness. and Chairman Walsh threat
ened to ask him 10 retire from the
hearing unless he desisted.
The morning session was taken up
/ by George w Perkins and Henry
| Ford of Detroit, millionaire manu-
I facturcr Of automobiles Mr.. Perkins
declared that the business depression,
if any existed. could he blamed di-
reetly upon the new tariff law.
Mr. Ford said he would guarantee
10 take any convict in Sing Sing prison
and make man of him by giving him
a decent living wage and comfortable
surroundings philanthropic founda-
1 tions. he thought. were inadequate.
Figures by MIR. Ford.
Mr.. Ford furnished. the commission
with figures 70 show that since the
installation a year ago of "A profit
sharing system. and a minimum wage
Of IS a day. his employees had come
to place their money in savings banks,
homes for themselves and families
and In life insurance policies, anu
that their health had improved. The
interest Of his men in their work has
| become 50 acute that the executives
Of the concern have 10 hold the work
| ers back instead Of squirting Them on.
On the whole, Mr. Ford said, his plan
of helping men to help themselves
had done more than even was ex-
pected OF IT,
Charles r. Neill former United
I States commissioner of labor, will be
| the first witness tomorrow
/ THE MAZE CARRIES THE
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