The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-12-12

late wages, it might do no harm to
satisfy this element Oabor) in the
community that they are immune
from attack"
At the request Of the A. f. of i.
Executive Council Senator Hollis
presented an amendment to the bill
that nothing in this proposed legis-
lation would affect sections or 20
of the Clayton law. The Senate
adopted this amendment, but it was
stricken out when the bill went to
conference.
When the bill came back to the
Senate Mr.. Hollis called attention
to the elimination of his amend
ment, and Senator Chamberlain,
who was in charge of the bill, said
Congressional Record. page 5000:
81 have not any fear that in the
administration of the food law any
thing would be attempted by the
President or by the agencies which
he has power to create under the
act to prevent any labor or other
organization from doing in a peace
full way all that they can now do
under the Clayton law to protect
themselves and their righst without
any saving clause in the bill under
consideration. 1t is not necessary
in this bill in order to protect
rights"
At a joint meeting on August 6,
1917, of the Advisory Commission
and the Council of National De-
Tense it was agreed, on motion of
Secretary of Commerce Redfield,
that the matter should be brought
to the attention of the President.
The next day Secretary of Labor
Wilson telephoned President Com
pers that he had talked with the
President on this matter. President
Gompers then dictated to his Secre-
tary memoranda of this converse
ton, which, in effect, was that the
President agreed that labor's fear
might be we'll grounded but that the
law was intended to reach those
who were handling products rath-
err than those who were engaged in
their production or distribution in
the form of labor" and that if the
bill was delayed by an attempt to
amend it so labor would be specific
ally protected this would play into
the hands of spectators and exploit
ers. The President was also report
ed as saying that the matter rested
with the Attorney-General, who
would notify all District Attorneys
not to bring cases against workmen
in contravention to the provisions
of the Clayton law.
At a conference between Attor-
Iney-General Gregory, President
Gompers and Secretary Frank Nor
rison, the Attorney-G General said he
would instruct District Attorneys
not to construe the bill as interior
ing in any way with the normal
activities of labor.
The telephone talks between Sec
rotary of Labor Wilson and Presi-
dent Gompers were corroborated
August s, when Senator Husting
with whom the Secretary had con-
versed, told of the statement by the
latter. Senator Husting's statement
in the Senate, August 8, clinches the
fact that the President of the United
States was correctly quoted when
the claim was made that he had en-
dorsed the statement of Attorney
General Gregory by saying:
THAT after all, prosecution under
the bill when it becomes law will
depend upon the District Attorneys,
and that instructions could go for
ward and would from the Attorney
Generals office to the various Dis
trict Attorneys instructing them not
to bring cases against workmen in
contrayention to the provisions of
the Clayton law"
Senator Husting made this state
ment in the Senate on August s
/ Congressional Record, page 64S1);
II voted for the Hollis amend
ment to the bill, which provided
that the provisions of the bill should
not be construed to prevent strikes
or peaceful picketing or in any way
amend or repeal the provisions of
the Clayton act, l would not favor
the clause striking out this amend
ment if thought it had that effect.
| do not think it has that effect"
Senator Reed asked Senator Hus-
ting if he had talked with the At
torney-General. Senator Husting