The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-04-26
SAM'L GOMPERS
STAYS HAND OF
SORID GREED

bill intended to protect war material
and war transportation facilities, just
passed to congress, does not class
strikes to improve working condi-
tions as conspiracy against the
government.
This legislation is known as the
sabotage" act It's authors in
tended to reach enemy agents and
others who would destroy property
or who would attempt to hamper
the prosecution of the war by in
terfering with production.
The bill passed the senate several
months ago. When it was being
considered by the house, a few weeks
ago, Congressman Joe Cannon Sc
cured the adoption of so-called
anti-conspiracy amendment. Con-
gresham Lunn moved an amenl-
ment that this should not apply to
working men who agreed to stop
work "for the bona fide purpose of
securing better wages or conditions
Of employment"
The senate refused to accept it's
bill as amended-or rather the Lunn
portion of it-and by a vote of 81
to 25, struck out all reference to la
boris right to strike, no matter how
great the provocation. The Can
non amendment was accepted by the
senate.
Because of these differences the
bill was referred to conferees, who
agreed to eliminate the Cannon and
Lunn amendment. This has been
accepted by the house and senate.
AS matters now stand, the bill is
in the shape it was originally in
tended-to punish those who con-
spire to destroy or injure any ma
terial necessary for the prosecution
of the war.
The difference between con-
spiracy herein defined and workers
forced on strike to improve condi-
tions is the intent to iniure the
government.
Although CONSUMPTION legislation is
J defeated at this time, it must not
be understood that the conscription-
lists have abandoned their position.
They will renew the fight at the
first opportunity, while hoping to
create such a public opinion against
trade unions that some court will
construe the clearly defined con-
spiracy laws as intended to include
workers on strike.
If the unions permit conscrip-
tionists to develop this public opin-
ion the latters' fight is made easier.
In the senate the Lunn amend
ment was vigorously defended by
Senators Hollis and others, who in
sisted that the conscriptionists were
injecting matter entirely foreign
to the intent of the bill, and that
If the senate is to pass on the ques-
ton of the right to strike, it should
be presented in the open, where a
fair fight can be made, rather than
confuse it with other issues.
In answer to the claim that there
is no need now to strike because of
the governments mediation and ar
bitration machinery, Senator Pitt
man said:
How long would the employer be
anxious for mediation if these men
could not quit? Why is it that the
employers today are willing to meet
the laborers before a mediation
board? 1t is because the men can
quit Take away from the employee
the power to quit and you will find
every employer in this country re-
fusing to arbitrate the question of
conditions of wages. That must be
apparent to everyone. We have
provisions for mediation, but it is
not compulsory.
Take away from labor the right
to quit and what protection have
they against starvation wages and
intolerable conditions? What con-
troll do you provide over the en-
ployer? Is there any punishment
for the imposition of starvation
wages and death-dealing condi-
tions ?"
You are conscripting labor. Are
you ready to conscript the employ
err? l am ready to conscript both
of them, but | am not ready to con-
script the employee and not conscript
the employer. | am not willing to
say to the employe, "If you quit
work you will injure the govern
ment, and you will be guilty of a
crime and not say to the employer,
If you do not pay these men living