Denver labor bulletin., 1917-01-20
u. S. SENATE REJECTS
"CAN'T STRIKE" LAW
CONTINUED from Page one.)


commission, on industrial disputes in
interstate carriers service. Gompers
said that he opposed even that, since II
would be used as basis of distorted
statement and unfair report by the big
newspapers, and would build up public
opinion hostile to the workers.
"The big papers are al! against us.
he said. "They will build up public
opinion as they see fit. That is why
official reports, handled by them to form
the Judgment of the people, may be I'M
| safe for the labor movement"
Senator Cummins said that these pa.
pers are already doing what they ,an 10
mold public opinion, and that he thought
that the workers would gain by official
reports on their grievances. Gonipers
could not see it in that light.
High Record for Comebacks.
The "Searchlight on Congress-" the or
gan of the National Voters League,
has counted up the new house OF rep
resentatives and has discovered that IL
has the largest proportion of reelected
members on record. In 1912, 279 MEM
bers were reelected. out of the total
house membership of 1876. in 1911 The
elected were $40. That is, there are
only Sc new men-or s5 men and one
woman new to The JOHN the lower
branch of the incoming congress
To the labor movement this is not en-
couraging Organized labor made its
power felt in notable degree during
the recent presidential campaign, but
these returns show that its chance of
having considerable number of active
agents in the committees OF the house,
where labor legislation must be pre-
pared and advanced to passage, is slight.
OF the incumbent congressman not more
than half dozen can be depended upon
to defend labor interests in the locked.
door sessions of committees, unless they
have previously been served with notice
that they must do so. 4 dozen. pos
sibly. viii voluntarily watch and defend
lator interests on the floor Of tho house,
where some iimelight is attached. \
hundred, at the utmost, can be sum
moned to vote right on labor measures
thruout the session A majority can be-
commanded only when every power OF
the labor movement Is brought 10 bear
upon them to enforce their obligation 10
be decent.
These are unpleasant facts. which any
labor lobbyist in Washington. footsore
from chasing after reluctant friends OF
labor will verify.
Narrow Margin Is Helpful.
Now this incoming house is chiefly
made up of these reelected men who
have done little for the labor interest
and who think that perhaps they can
get by" without doing anything for
their working-class constituents. And
the new men are under every induce
ment to follow the lead of the fellows
already here.
But one element in the house situn-
tion for the next session is cheering.
That is the balance in numbers between
Republicans and Democrats. with n
handful OF minority representatives hold.
ing balance of power. The Searchlight
figures that there will be PA Republic
ans, 2l3 Democrats, Socialists, 3 In
dependents, 2 Progressives, and Pro.
hibitionist in the new house. The clerk
of the house says there will be 2l5 each
of Republicans and Democrats, Pro
gressives, 2 Independents and Social.
ist In either case. both OF the big
party crowds are in need of Progressive,
Independent and Socialist help, and both
are afraid of the progressive men within
their own ranks. So they are all going
to hurrah for progressive" programs,
and if organized labor gets on the job
right away, with program to be put
straight up to every member OF this
new house. it may be able to swing the
balance with real effect
How to Avoid Kitchen Stairs.
For example, it can get the Nolan 81
minimum wage bill for federal employees
thru the house If it sends out n pledge
to the members before the vote is taken
on the election OF speaker and the
division Of the million dollars worth OF
jobs that are tied up in the control OF
the house II can swing the railroad
legislation away from any dangerous
paths. without half the effort that may
be required later. Il can put the right
plan into the heads OF the leaders OF
the next insurrcction against the bi-par.
tisan ring that runs the committees of
the house, so that labor bills will not be
asked to use the kitchen stairs forever.