Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-09-26
Head of Labor Federation
Witness Before Senate
Committee.
DETECTIVES HIRED
TO STOP AGITATORS
GomPers Says Spying System Was
Organized by Mill Companies to
Prevent Forming Of Unions--long
Hours and Seven Days Of Work
Weekly Custom in Nearly All Mills
Charges Reiterated.

Washington, Sept c6.-The right OF
the employees to have some voice in
determining the conditions under
which they work is the paramount is
sue OF the steel strike. Samuel Com
pers told the senate investigating COM
nittee today. Appearing as the sec
ond witness for labor, MIR. Gompers
was asked by Senator Kenyon to de
line tine issues In the controversy.
''The right to be heard Is what the
steel workers are asking Mr.. Goin-
pers said. "The right to speak with
their employers thru their own repre-
sentatives. The rlsht OF workers to
associate has been denied--uenled with
all the power and influence of the steel
corporaIion-denied by brutal and un-
warranIaUie means. s
1t has been said that most OF the
strikers are foreigners. That may DO
and no doubt is true. The largest pro-
portion of corporation employees are OK
foreign birth, but these men are
brought here by the companies. Thsro
was for years a systematic effort TO
bring in these gangs. They have
harvest 20 reap now These steel COM
panies brought about the SituatioA -
which they now complain
Alleges Spying System.
Under the enorts OF the steel corp
Grafton the hours of labor were ai-
ways abnormally long. They were
never satisfied unless they had their
men working seven days week and
S65 days year. n
The right OF association, the attempe
to organize. met with the strongest OPT
position by the steel corporation. The
appeals coming to US from the efn-
ployes were for help in organizing.
More than 60 per cent OF all the pri-l
vate detective agency effort In the
country has been devoted to spying
on employees In mines and Nails. They
have been used as provocaters 10 In
duce men To some overt act TO get
them to strike too soon
AS he described tho "dogging" or
employees by detectives, Gompers ems
phaslzed his words by pounding on tho
table.
In the steel industry men were dis
charged for merely talking Of organ
men watched so closely that when
they wanted hall the proprietors
have been told to shut them out,
Dominates State officials.
"Can you give instances Of the last
practice ," asked Senator Sterling, res
publican, of South Dakota.
"Yes. At Mckeesport." Gompers res
sponded. since this strike the Of
iices of the iron and steel workers have
been closed against them.'
Il suppose that has been done on
the theory that collecting Of crowds
would create disorder"
II don't know the theory, but I do.
know the purpose. II was to prevent
the leaders from comforting with tho.
men. Only III the event OF war should
the rights OF free speech and assembly
be restricted. They should not be-" hs
said, for a prirateerins corporation
Il know that many OF the public
authorities In Pennsylvania are under
the domination OF the United States
Steel Corporation"
pelays Ecs.s: Hearing.
After hearing Samuel GornpeS for
more than three hours the senate COM
mittee today abandoned its plans to
examine tomorrow William u. Foster
who has been attacked In the house aS
radical and an l. w. w.
! Chairman Kenyon announced the
inquiry would not be resumed until
next Wednesday. when Judge Gary
will he heard. He gave no reason for
not hearing Foster tomorrow but;
other members of the COMMITTEES said
Foster would be called later.
Foster was defended before the COM
mittee by Gompers, who said the sec
lretary had changed the radical views
4 he held some time ago.