The Connecticut labor press., 1919-10-18

This i'll effect IS the charge made by Samuel Gompers in testimony before the House committee on Interstate and foreign commerce on the question of compulsory arbitration. E. E. Clark of the Interstate Commerce Commission had suggested to the committee that some brand of compulsory arbitration of railroad mer.
 Several days before Mir Gompers had appeared before the Senate interstate commerce commission and protested against the Cummins bill. This pro- vides that the government shall fix the wages and hours of railroad employees after they are returned to the owners. If they strike they must go to jail.
 ''It is such legislation as this and others that are before Congress that IS breeding Bolshevism i'll the United States" President Gompers told the House committee. That is what you are doing gentlemen. You are giving the l. w. w. the means to undermine the American Federation of Labor. AL ready the bolsheviks are saying to the workers:
 That is what you get in return for your loyalty and patriotism"
 Among the other bills included i'll this indictment of Congress by the spokes- men for American labor is one by Rep resentative Wood of Indiana, one of the cogs in the ajority party. It pro- videS.
 For the investigation of all disputes and controversies
 1. "Threatening the operation of the government.
 2. Intercourse between states
 of "a of life"
 This bill proposes to stop strikes of any workmen engaged in the lake or coastwise trade, either sailor cook, 1ongshoreman, any railroad employee anyone engaged in erecting buildings for the government, or any other em- ployee. directly or indirectly working for the government.
 It6 provides that a commission shall be appointed by the President to inves- tigate all such disputes and recommend such legislative remedies as would ad- just the controversy. Fines and jail sentences are provided for strikers. The commission is instructed to adopt rules of procedure similar to those of the Federal courts.
 Tt is involuntary servitude of the worst description" declared President GOmperS.
 Then Senator Thomas, who so often has come to the aid of the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company, has submitted a bill that all strikes, no matter by whom called, are conspiracies i'll restraint of trade and should be prevented and re- sisted at all times. The bill provides:
 That we view with deep concern and disapproval all combinations, conspir aces and disturbances designed to ac- complish objects lawful or unlawful by frauds, force, disorder or resort to other criminal methods.
 That in America every citizen i'll the enjoyment of life, liberty and the pur suit of happiness has the constitutional right to follow any calling or to refrain therefrom as he may choose. That this right is mutual and universal, any de- nia1 of or interference with which is wholly contrary to free institutions and individual liberty.
 That the so-called closed shop the denial of the citizen to a livelihood for the support of himself and family free from limitations imposed upon him out side the law are tyrannous, un-Amer- ican and wholly in conflict with the fun damenta1s of American freedom.
 That so-called strikes for power, pardlyZlng DuSlleSS, IlItI IeIlllS Wllli tlS- tribution, lowering production, defying the laws and necessarily resulting i'll riot, insurrection, murder and the de- struction of property, are conspiracies in restraint of trade and should be pre- vented wherever possible and resisted at all times"
 Blanton, the Merry Andrew of the House." also presented a bill prohibit ing any employee of the government from striking, no matter from what onerous conditions they are seeking re- lief.
 There are many others, but none which places the shackles so firmly on the people by their establishment of in voluntary servitude