The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-12-28
lRG AN|zED RAIL
MPLOYEES WILL
STATE ATT|TU UDE
ON CUMM|NS BILL

Washington Dec. 27--The attitude
OF the organized railway employees TO-
ward the anti.strike provisions Of the
Cummins railroad bill, will be formally
stated in n declaration OF principles
to be drafted by the heads OF all the
brotherhods aot u conference here Mon
day with President Gompers, Of the
American Federation Labor.
Labor leaders declared today that
nothing drastic" was to be expected
but the general view among organized
workers was that affiliated trades would
stand by the railway machinists' union,
which voted to quit work If congress
enacted the antlstrike provisions Sen
ators and representatives now in Wash.
ington expressed the opinion, however,
that the house would not accept the
: bill as il came from the senate and
that even II it should pass, President
Wilson would veto il.
The possibility OF q presidential veto,
has been given serious consideration by
members OF congress, who realize the
necessity Of enacting proper legisla.
ton before the roads are handed back
to their owners on March /.
Labor leaders in discussing this event.
uality, also called attention to this
statement by the president in his mes
sage TO congress four weeks ago:
''The right of individuals to strike is
inviolate and ought not to be interfer.
ed with by any process Of government,
hut there is a predominant right OF tho
government to protect all Of its people
and to assert its power and majesty
against the challenge of any class"
This one sentence was variously in.
terpretcd--by brotherhood officers as n
virtual announcement 10y the president
that he would not sign a bill denying
the right to strickland by Senator
Cummins, and others, as notice by the
president that even If the right to
strike was inyolate, the rights OF the
public stood over and above il.
Regardless Of what action might be
taken by the brotherhoods, the belief
prevailed in congressional circles that
when senate and house cOnrerees got
through with the Cummins and Esch
bills. no vestge of the anti-strille sec
zion would remain. The conferees will
begin work next week, after Senator
Cummins and Senator Kellogg, republi
can. Minnesota, return here from North
Carolina.
All Of the senate confcrees voted for
the labor clause. and are expected to
make hard fight in conference for its
!. retention. On the straight senate test
an amendment to eliminate the section
was defeated 80 to a. Some idea Of
the attitude of the house, however. was
given today by members who said that
the anti.strike clause could not com
mand fifty votes in that body.
The heads of the four big brother
hoods, and the ten affiliated trades
viii be here Monday for the conference
with President Gompers, which was
called for the specific purpose of con
sldering pending railroad legislation.
Committees representing the six shor
trades have an appointment that day
with Director General Hines for dis
cussion Of wage demands but il was
q said this might be deferred until Tues
day
Although every effort will be made
70 expedite railroad legislation, some
doubt was expressed today whether the
Esch and Cummins bills could be cut
TO pieces and put together again, by
the time set for the end of federal con
troll Of the roads.
Meanwhile, great pressure is being
brought to bear on members Of the son
ate and house 10 speed up work. but
there is little hopo of getting the bin
out of conference before the end Of
January.