Bisbee daily review., 1919-09-25
GARY'S ACTION EXAMPLE FUR NECESSITY IF
 LABOR STRIKE
Gompers Tells Senate Inter state Commerce Committee When Workers Are Insult ed Walkout Is Only Re course.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24-Declar- ing that Judge E. H. Gary, chairman of the United States Steel corpora ton. had dealt "in a flippant and au- tocratic fashion" with labor repre- sentatives, Samuel Gompers, presi- dent of the American Federation of Labor, in summing up before the sen ate interstate commerce committee organized labor's opposition to the anti-strike section of the Cummlns railroad bill, said the steel strike was an example for the necessity of the use of the strike by labor unions.
 Appearance of MT. Gompers before the senate committee came at the end of the second day of continued attack by labor leaders against the provisions of the Cummins bill which would make striking railroad men con, spirators against commerce aid H. able to fine and imprisonment.
 When employers say there IS nothing to talk over," said the labor chief, when they refuse to meet rep resentatives of labor, when they say these representatives represent no- body, how else is there to convince them but by strike? Take the steel strike now That was the position Mir. Gary took. A letter to him from me sent last June is still unan- swered.
 Refused Conference.
 "A committee to see him was greeted with the word that he had nothing to discuss with them. He treated us in a flippant and autocratic fashion. The strike is now on, much to my regret. because wanted to see it delayed until after presidents in dustriaI conference.
 'But if you knew conditions in dis tricts the United States Steel EOrpo- ration controls, you wo@-c under stand. Murder, assault, arrest of men, prohibition of meetings on rented ground, workers dispersed by thugs, gangsters and detective crooks em- ployed by the companies. A woman murdered in cold blood, and the de tective who did it released on bond of $25OO while men arreste in the meeting sare held.
 "Where's that?" committee mem Der interrupted him.
 At McKeesport, Pa.," MT. Comp CTS rejoined We've done and will continue to do our best, we men in the labor movement, to keep things going. But if you take from us our last form of effective appeal for nee essary things, as this bill does, what ever comes in on your head and not on ours"
 Dealing with the subject of general unrest, MT. Gompers asserted thai labor organizations were experiencing difficulty in holding radicals 1T check.
 Fair Treatment Urged.
 "The disposition is so great now he added, that democracy is sneerec at by certain groups who say that I is only a pretext which the employing classes hold up to cheat workers and that workers can only secure jus tice by revolution. Nothing would give these people opportunity tC spread their doctrines like the pas sage of this bill. Nothing would ere ateS so much unrest"
 Senator Underwood of Alabam' debated the issue with the witness at some length.
 Back of this bill," remarked thu senator, lis the fear of the genera public that at some time. genera railroad strike will be called. Ism there any way such disaster can b. prevented?"
 'T can't underwrite any measure suggest any proposition, which WI absolutely prevent general strike, Mir. Gompers replied. "This d know. fair treatment of labor will g far to prevent it."