The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1919-10-10
FREE SPEECH IS
ISSUE--COMPERS
Head OF A. F. of L. Tells Senators
War Is Only Excuse to
Curb Labor.
STEEL men ABUSE WORKERS
Declares Union Employees Have Been
"Docged" by Detectives Who Tried
10 Force Strike%Open Shop
Msnomer.

Washington. Sept. -. The issue In
the nationwide steel strike was defined
10y samuel Gompers president Of the
American Federation of Labor. ms
recognition of the right of employees
TO be heard. 10 organize and 90 have
some voice in determining conditions
under which they labor
Appearing aS labor's second witness
IN the senate labor committees investi-
cation Of the steel strike, President
Gcmpcss drew from his experiences rs
chairman OF the first committee 10 or
ganize the steel industry and traced
the history of organized labors efforts
10 unionize the steel workers.
When he finished the committee adj
iourned until next Wednesday. ut
which time r. II. Gary. chairman OF
The United States Steel corporation.
has promised TO appear.
The right 70 be heard is what the
steel workers are asking above all
else" Gompcrs said. Tile right to
speak with their employers through
their own representatives. 10 have
some voice in determining conditions
under which they work.
"Thc right Of workers to association
has been denied denied with all the
power and influence and wealth ut
The steel corporation. denied 10y brutal
and unwarraniahle means
1T has been said that most az tlc
men taking part IN this strike nro lt
foreign birth and not naturalizcl CITE
liens. That may be and no doubt IS
true. The largest proportion of steel
corporation employees are Of foreign
birth. but these men were brought
here 10y the companies.
There was for years systematic
effort to bring in these gangs from
Europe. There was a systematic ef-
fort To eliminate Americans. They
have harvest To- reap now. These
steel companies brought about the
state of which they now complain.
Under the efforts Of the steel cor
pOration the hours of labor were al
ways abnormally long. They never
seemed satisfied until they had their
men toiling seven days week. 1863
days year. When the shifts changed.
from day 10 night. they got them work
Ing - hours day.
"The right Of association. the at
tempt 10 organize met with the stern
est opposition by the steel corporation.
The appeals coming To u from
their employees were for help IN or
ganizing. But most OF the efforts were
slaughtered by the detectives and the
agencies in the company pay. More
than 90 per cent of all the private de-
tectiVe agency effort I'm this country
has been devoted 10 spying on en-
ployees. in mines and mills They have
been used as agents provocateurs 10
induce men To commit some overt act;
10 get them TO strike too soon
"In the steel industry" he continued.
''men were discharged for merely talk
ing OF organization or for grumbling.
There have been numbers of men
watched SO closely that when they
rented hall the proprietor was told
10 lock the doors against them. Their
meetings on rented ground have been
broken up. The men were run down,
dispersed and some assaulted"
"Can YOU give instances Of that last
practicef" asked Senator Sterling
RepD Of South Dakota.
"Ycs. at McKeesport." Gompers re-
sponded. "Slnce this strike the offices
of the iron and steel workers there
have been closed against them.
II suppose that has been done on
the theory that collection OF crowds
would create disorder Senator Ster-
ling remarked.
II don't know the theory" Mr.. Com
pers said. "But do know the pur-
pose. II was 10 prevent the leaders
from counseling with the men and
making the strike effective"
Only In the event of war, the labor
leader declared should the rights Of
free speech and assembly be restrict
ed. They should not be. he said. for
-'privateering corporation"
81 know that many of the public
authorities in districts Of Pennsylvania
are under the direct domination OF the
United States Steel corporation" the
witness declared. pounding the table.
THE whole conduct OF the strike in
Pennsylvania shows" Mr.. Gompcrs as
serted. that whatever helps the cor.
poration against the workers will have
the support OF Pennsylvania authori.
ties