The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-07
TO HEAR UNIONS
Walsh and Shepherd Summoned
Before Legislature.
viii Speak, and Be Quizzed, at
Joint Session.
SEE A BATTLE OF WORDS
"LOcaP Leaders to Augment
Already Big Lobby.
Bill Sidetracked to Await Out
come Thursdays Fray.

Legislature. House members today
suspended consideration of the bill
and voted for joint session with the
senate Thursday morning. At that
| time opposition to the bill will be
heard-and cross examined by legis-
lative lawyers. Frank Walsh of Kan
sas City and Jake Shepherd of Fort
Scott are to be called before the joint
session.
| 1t is probable that Thursday ses-
sions will be informal. And it prom
| ises a lively day for the labor court
opposition. There are many things
which legislative members desire to
ask regarding strikes and orders and
| action by leaders and union members.
Walsh and Shepherd are lawyers.
They are due for a red hot tilt with
legislators regarding, constitutional
questions and general provisions of
the bill.
Officers of labor organizations in
the state are also expected to define
their opposition to the bill and will be
given a hearing. A number of lead
ers will come to Topeka from indus
| trial towns and will augment the al
ready large labor lobby before the
legislature, Legislative members were
today swamped with letters. kilograms
and telephone calls from union repre-
sentatives opposing passage of the big
| administration measure.
Martin Urges Quick Action.
Consideration of provisions of the
bill was sidetracked this morning
when house members went into COM
mfttee of the whole. Geddes of But
Ter opposed the plan of Frank L. Mar
| tin of Reno to take up immediate con-
sideration of the bill. He argued that
members should suspend judgme ent
until labor interests were heard
Oh, .F
| bill with an open mind" &c
urged. I'VE cannot be free
forming opinions if we continue a.
cussion of merits of the measure"
The house then voted to suspend
action on the labor court proposal A
motion by Harley of Douglas to call
labor leaders Friday morning was
amended. Labor speakers will be di-
| rected. under the amendment, to re-
port for action at 9 o'clock Thursday
morning. The entire day-probably
longer-will be given speakers. w.
utilities commission and author of the
| bill, may also be called. An effort may
be made to bring Higgins before the
1 house late this afternoon in event he
| can leave senate. committee hearings
There will be no discussion of provi-
sions of the bill by house members
tho; until Thursdays sessions.
| Many "lnLeTcSIS' Exempted.
Many organized labor interests are
exempted from terms of the industrial
court bill, house members were ad-
vised during discussion of general
! terms of the measure by Tom Harley
, of Douglas county, author of the bill
| Harley met charges of discrimination
or weakness in the bill by a statement
that in his opinion printers unions
the carpenters and similar union labor
interests are as free from operation
of the bill as the individual farmers
| Amos, of Shawnee, started the dis
cussion which led to Harley's defini-
ton of the bill. The Shawnee county
man intin1ated that Governor Allen
has recommended a sweeping bill
covering all classes of producers ir
his message. But he found no such
provisions in the bill.
Was this bill changed because OF
the large number of farmers in the
legislature?" Amos asked.
In my judgment this bill could no
be made to extend to the farmer wht
exercises his individual judgment il
production" said Harley Il will alsC
say that in my opinion there is moth
ing in this bill affecting the printer
union, the carpenters or similar uniol
labor organizations"
Defeat Geddes ''Limit'' Plan.
Geddes of Butler county sought t,
limit the time which the house woult
extend to labor representatives. Blu
he was defeated. The house indicated
that it wanted the labor speakers Il
hurry. Yet a reasonable time will b,
allowed ir which to present their op
position to the bill.
Rumors reached the house member
that Alexander Howat, president O
mine workers union for the Kansa
district, would come to the legislature
, Harley, tho. was not advised of sucl
action and labor lobbyists asserted tha
should the mine chief visit Topeka, i
would be on his own motion. He viii
not speak before the legislature unles
he should personally request sucl
privilege.
Martin in Rebuke.
Frank L. Martin gave the labo
| lobby an uncomfortable hour durini
the opening of the debate on genera
provisions of the court bill. He rea,
: circular letter from the boilermak k
ers union of Newton carrying a threa
: to protest this legislation should it b
| enacted. by striking or by othe
means" Martin declared the labor in
terests should show some degree o
loyalty to their state and government
and less concern for the sacred prin
ciples of their union.
Then he took a big. healthy slap a
the national administratio in Wash
ington.
, THE coal strike cost this govern
ment $50 million dollars" said Mar
tin. But when the peace agreemen
was signed the president of the Unite
States sent to the heads of the min
workers telegram congratulatin
them on their loyalty and patriotism
and probably for not spending anothe
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