The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-09-30
Tells Senate Labor Committee
Employees Have Rights To
Be Heard and to Organize
LABOR MUST HAVE VOICE
Should Have A Say in Determin-
ing The Conditions Under
Which They WOrk-Commit-
tees Course Open.

Washington, Sept. 29.-The issu
in the nationwide steel strike was de-
fined by Samuel Gompers, president
OF the American Federation of Labor,
as recognition of the right of employ
cs to be heard, to organize and to
nave some voice in determining con-
ditions under which they labor"
Appearing as labor's second wit
ness in the senate labor committee 8
investigation of the steel strike, Pres
ident Gompers drew from his expert
ences as chairman of the first com
mlttee to organize the steel industry
and traced the history of organized
labor's efforts to unionize the steel
workers. When he finished, the COM
mittee adjourned until next Wednes-
day, at which time Judge Gary, chair
man of the United States Steel COR
poration, has promised to appear.
President Gompers, in the course
of his remarks, condemned unspar-
ingly civic authorities in, the western
pennsylvania steel centers and re-
peated many of the charges made be-
for the committee yesterday by John
Fitzpatrick, chairman of the strik-
ers' committee.
Whatever helps the corporations
against the workers, that the author
tiles OF Pennsylvania will be found
doing" Gompers said at one point
Full responsibility for the strike he
laid at the door of Judge Gary, who
could have stopped it, he said, by
granting conference to the strike
committee.
Counter charges against the steel
workers, involving the revolutionary
radicalism OF William q. Foster.
strike committee secretary, in parti-
cular, was met by Gompers with the
assertion that Foster no longer was
a syndicalist or believer in violence
There were several interludes, once
when Senator Phipps, republican, OF
Colorado, read statements of Presi-
dent Wilson made in 1909, to the ef-
feet that he was "a fierce partisan Of
the open shop" which brought a
quick assertion from Gompers that
President Wilson now does not hold
with what DR.. Wilson then said"
Senator Sterling, republican, OF
South Dakota, at another point read
some steel company statistics, in ref
erence to greatly increased pay of
workmen during recent years, and eff
forts made by the company to place
its stock among employees. In reply,
the labor chief said that the company
had increased its earnings 400 per
cent while increasing workmen's pay
100 per cent, and that it's stock sell
ing enterprises were attempts TO tie
the men to the jobs
What we want is the right to have
workers represented before their en-
ployers," he went on, represented by
counsel of ability, of courage, and of
intelligence that can cope with the
power OF the corporation chiefs, and
can htly set forth the evils and injus-
tices of plant and mill life. This war
was fought against autocracy, and
won against autocracy. whether au.
tocracy of militarism or autocracy OF
industry. The day is past when an
employer, no matter how great, can
declare himself master OF all he sur
veys.''
Chairman Kenyon. adjourning the
session. left the future course OF the
investigation to be settled at another
meeting, and as the only certain date
for its convening fixed the Wednes.
day appointment with Judge Gary
The intention to call William u. Fos
ter tomorrow was abandoned al
though members of the committe in
tend TO call him later.
Inland Employees Deny Fitzpatrick's