The Connecticut labor press., 1919-11-22
Anti-strike Legislation Secured in
Roundabout Way-Union La
Dor Had Premonition of What
Was Coming When Act was
Passed in Congress- Section o
Was Aimed at Profteers.

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"A new situation has arisen as a -.
suit OF the application of the Lever
1000 control act of 1917 to str;t-a
emergency In roundabout uav fbe
United States has evolved ar,fi-sfr;lre
legislation which, had it been nronosed
as such, would have brought fortI :
STORM OF discussion, for it would have
involved consideration of the funda-
ne1tal relations of labor, capital and
public. 1t is. believed that the Lever
Jaw would. not have passed if If had
oeen designated as something more than
war measure.
In the discussion in the House dur-
ing the summer of 1917 there was r1o
lack of prophecy regarding the nurner-
Gus phases of the bill. Labor. moral
reform, political gain, economic re-
adjustment, all were read into the pro-
VISIONS by apprehensive members of
congress. Based upon the subject of
better distribution, conservation and
production of food, the bill branched off
INTO many matters contributing and af-
fect1ng the handling and consumption
OF vital necessaries, which were inter
related and hardly separable.
Representative Lever of South Car
DINA, the author of the bill, is now
member of the Federal Farm Loan
Board OF the Treasury department, hav-
ing resigned from Congress. He sees
his wartime measure now drawing
great load. He himself proposed thar
the House write into the bin Section 9
under which the Department of Justice
has been proceeding in the coal strike
case. Soon after the debate began he
realized that unless fuel were included
the law would not be wholly effectual
The country had to have an ADEQUATE
distribution of fuel In order to insure
steady supply of food.
This Section was not framed with
the intent of applying it to any such
situation as has called for the present
test. 1t was primarily aimed at prof.
teers. However, early In the framing
OF the BILL and of this particular anti
strike section, the question of its effect
upon organized labor was raised.
Representative Edward Keating of
Colorado endeayored to amend the Ley
er act so that it would not be inter-
preted IN any way to effect Section or
Section 20 of the Clayton antitrust Law.
protecting organized labor. His pro-
posal brought out continents now en-
Tightening in view of the present use
of the law.
Representative Keating, in calling the
attention of the House to the neces-
sity of making the Lever bill safe for
labor, said: IL you adopt this amend
mert what will you do? The bill pre-
vldes heavy penalties for anyone con-
spring to limit production of food or
the transportation thereof. That pro-
vision viii remain In force, but the pro-
visions of the Clayton Anti -Trustl law,
which permit members of labor unions
to quit work in order to improve their
working condition, IN order to shorten
their hours, IN order to secure increased
pay, will also remain in force.
submit to the members of this
House that every sponsor for the bill
having declared that it is not the purx
pose of the bill to nu1lify the provi-
sions of the Clayton Anti-T rust law, and
the representatives of organized labor
having expressed the desire that this act
should be clarified, it is only fair that
the amendment that / have suggested
should be adopted.
Section of the Clayton Antitrust
law provides that the labor of human
being is not commodity or article of
commerce; that nothing contained In
the Antitrust law shall be construed
to forbid the existence and operation
of labor, agricultural or horticultural
Section 20 provides that
no restraining order shall be issued by
any court of the United States for the
purpose of interfering with the usual
lawful operations of organizations of
farmers and workmen"
When it was intimated on the floor
that Representative Keating virtually
to exempt labor from punish
ment for violations of the Food BILL he
that he wanted it distinctly
so that every judge may
know it, that when man strikes for
the purpose of shortening hours, better
ing working conditions, or securing an
increase in pay, he must not be dragged
before court and charged with con-
splracy to limit transportation and pro-
duction. These are two separate and
distinct ofenses and the gentleman
from Colorado is perfectly willing the
workman or the farmer or the lawyer
who conspires to limit production shall
be brought under this act; but he OBJ
rights for which labor has struggled for
A hundred years, set aside under the
plea that you are conserving the food
supply of this country"
Then came Mr.. Levers summing up
On the proposed labor amendment III
what was termed the best short speech
hat had been delivered in the House
n years.. 1t defeated the amendment
aimed to protect labor. He said in part:
""Mr. Chairman, it seems to me that
his House sometimes goes very far In
upon the intelligence and
patriotism of certain classes of our citi-
,ensf1ip. The action in which the gem
leman is interested (Section 9 pro-
poses to do this-to punish those who
combine agree, or arrange
with any other person to limit the facil-
ties for Transporting, producing, man
lfacturing, supplying, storing, or deal
ng with any neeessaries. What are
Food, feed and fuei-the
hings that the human family must,
lbove all other things, have at all times,
md especially IN time of war. What
Use? 1t proposes to punish those who
:onspire, combine, agree, or arrange
With any other person to restrict the
upply of any necessaries. What else?
t proposes to punish those who con-
pire combine, agree, or arrange with
ny other person to prevent, limit or
essen the manufacture or production of
nv necesSaries