The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-16
CONSCRIPT LABOR
That Is Suggestion Made by
Minnesota Representative.
Cannon of Illinois Gives Him
His Backing.
HEATING ANSWERS THE|
He Says They Are Fostering
German Propaganda.
Bitter Fight Over Question Ex-
: pected in the House.

Washington, April demonstration
of labor has been demanded on the
floor of the house. Its advocates were
met with a volley of disapprovai:
Representative Cannon, of Illinois
protesting at the striking out OF a
would have prevented strikes Tor the
period of the war, gave warning that
the situation eventually would nave
to be met by more drastic legislation
than has yet been proposed.
Miller of Minnesota introduced a
bill which proposes five years impris-
onment for either the practice or ad-
vocacy OF sabotage. He said he meant
his bill to meet the situation. which,
he declared, so far had been carefully
"ducked' by congress.
A considerable group in the house,
| mostly Republicans but with few
Democrats, intend to keep pounding
away at a legislation program greatly
| restricting the right of labor to strike.
Met Reverse Monday.
Monday they met a considerable re-
verse when the house adopted the con-
ference report on the sabotage bill,
after knocking out all reference to war
time strikes. Desire of the admins
tration to have the bill enacted at once
was an admitted factor in the house
action. however.
Lunn of New York. a member of the
labor group. told the Cannon follow
ers that if they attempted to restrict
! labor's right to strike, the effort " ould
be fought to the last ditch. 1t is like
| ly that the labor group loose Or
ganization of twenty members. all of
whom are former or present members
| of organized labor-will meet soon to
| consider means of fighting what they
| term the "conscription of labor prop
aganda." Heating, of Colorado. a
] member of this group, and the father
| NJ IA Ia a
clared today that the growing propa-
ganda for consumption of labor was
the most dangerous Hun doctrine in
the country" He said:
! There are two labor policies for
the war: One, the labor Cancellation
policy of President Wilson, and the
| other the labor CONSUMPTION program
of certain reactionary members of the
| house and senate.
Jealous of Labor.
This little group is the same Or
ganization which for years blocked
off child labor legislation, and which
| seems to be thrown into a frenzy
whenever anything valuable to labor
! IL proposed. 1t is the center of the
insidious pl opaganda which is seeking
to thrown out the impression among
the people that labor is not doing its
bit, is disloyal in this war.
| "a cabinet member told me re-
Gently that shipbuilders who had
fallen down on their jobs had sought
| about for an elibi and at last had
corle to the plea that labor was to
blame.
There is no doubt that a few labor
| organizations have been unreasonable
But it is time to realize that certain
groups of capital are seeking to place
all the burden of what failures we
have had upon labor. A reflection OF
this program is the series of labor
bills introduced-all intended to give
the cumulative effect that something
is wrong with labor. Labor does moi
intend to stand for it further.
I'VE have with US President Wilson
and the whole national administra-
ton. We intend to put this test tc
the men who cry for consumption OF
labor.
Let us conscript labor. Let us
also conscript the dollar
You will see the greatest scurry-
ing TO the tall weeds our capital has
ever seen. There is one place these
men who want tc put labor at the
mercy of private employers cannot
stand to be touched, their pocket
book"