The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937, 1916-09-02


think it is a misfortune that men on the
floor of the Senate are immune from
the pains and penalties of the law
against libel and SANDER. | have known
MIR. Gompers in way-not intimately,
but | have been thrown in contact with
him-for number of years. | have had
occasion to follow his public acts; for
| speak of his acts in connection with
the great labor organization to which he
belongs as in the nature of qlas-public
acts. | have never known him to do an
unjust or unlawful act. Instead of being
an instigator of strife, it is well known
that he is one of the most conservative
of advisors of that great body of men
of which he is the head. | challenge
any man to point to single time when
MIR. Gompers has not sought to promote
the interests of the great laboring classes
of this country by peaceful means.
There have been men, there are oc-
Icasional individuals, who attach them
lselves to every society, to every organi
cation, whether secular or ecclesiastical,
Iwho will reflect by their acts discredit
upon the organization to which they be-
long. There are men who have sat in
this chamber whose words and conduct
have not added luster to this body. But
only the most narrow, the most preju
diced, the most evil-minded of men
would charge the individual act of one
wicked man to an entire body of men,"
Senator Sherman laid great mpor-
tance on the failure of President Com
Ipers to denounce individual members of
trade unions who have been convicted
Iof crime. This was answered by Sena-
tor Owen (Oklahoma)
"Nlr. Gompers is not called upon as
the head of the American Federation of
Labor to apologize to the country when
lever any member of that organization is
convicted of crime any more than the
senator from Illinois is called up to
apologize to the country whenever
Iperson is convicted of murder in the
State of Illinois"
Senator Sherman then pleaded that he
had the very greatest confidence" in
the members of organized labor, and
Iagain renewed his attack on the A. F.
|Iof l.. executive. Senator Owen, in reply
l'made this telling point:
The senator can not have any conf
dence in the judgment of organized la
Dor in this country in denouncing as he
does this man whom millions of mem
bers of the unions have trusted and
whom they have elected over and over
again. Have these organized labor peo-
pie no common sense? Have they no
judgment? Have they no evidence of
the integrity and ability and worth of
this man."
Senator Sherman was getting into
| deep water and he offered the weak de-
fense that he would communicate with
the dissatisfied members of the A. f. of
L. and other organized workers not af
hliated "and if it will be any satisfaction
to the senator from Oklahoma | will
give him their names, with their con-
sent"
1t was clear that the Illinois senator
was getting groggy, and the discussion
was closed with this punch from the
gigantic Senator James (Kentucky)
docs not the senator (Mr. Owen)
think it would have been more in keep
ing with the dignity of the senate for
the senator from Illinois to have COM
municated with these gentlemen before
he made this charge than to make the
charge and then refuse to disclose his
evidence, unless he has their consent?
1t seems to me that the senate is not the
proper place for senator representing
a great commonwealth to make broad
side charges affecting the integrity and
character of citizens of the republic
without being willing also to give his
evidence | do not think it is quite the
right thing nor the proper place for the
senator to make the charge and then say
4 will sustain it, provided can get the
consent of the men who gave me the