Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-05-29
C0MpERS MEETS GOVERNOR ALLEN IN WORD BATTLE
Crowded House Hears No De- cisiOn Argument on
 Labor
HECkLING ENLIVENS
 MENT OF BOTH
Gompers Ciings to Plea No Law Can Make Man Work; Allen Elm phasizes Rights of the
 Public

New York, May 2S. The relations of capital and labor the right to strike and its legitimacy as regards the effect on the public: the Kan SaS industrial court law and it's sig nlficance to the future of the work ing man were discussed from all an glcs in a remarkable debate tonight in Carnegie hall between Samuel Gompers. president of the American Federation of Labor, and Governor Henry ]. Allen of Kansas.
 Governor Aliens main contention wts that government has the right to protect the public against strikes when it's welfare is imperilled. while MT. Gompers held to the argument that no law can prevent man from stopping work if by doing so he may benefit himself and his family. MT. Gompers labelled the Kansas indus trial court law the Gun -Amarican slave law" and Governor Allen declar- cd he had taken away from Mir. Com pers his divine right to order man to quit work.
 The oratory of the debaters was punctured with frequent cheers and hoos by adhercnts of each side and occasional questions shouted from the floor and the balconies.
 In support of the right to strike, Mr, Gompers declared the coal min CTS strike took boys out of the mines that the textile workers strike brought children out of the mills and put them in the school rooms, while the strike in the needle trades broke up the sweat shops when laws had failed to do so.
 Governor Aliens industrial com mandant was "you shall not con- spirc to shut down the industry necessary to the welfare of the peo- pie"
 "When the general public says we have had enough of this," he said, tits over"
 "Who controls the divine right to quit work?" Governor Allen asked. He was answered with cheers and boos.
 The debate called for no decision, the committees in charge having pur- posedly divided the house equally be- tween supporters of each speaker.
 A feature of the debate was Aliens efforts to get Gompers to answer this questions:
 "When q dispute between capital and labor brings on strike affecting the production or distribution of the of life thus threateninR the public and impairing the public health has the public any rights in such a controversy or it is q priS vate war between capital and la bor?''
 eff you answer this question in the affirmative, MT. Gompers, how would you protect the rights of the public ?"
 The labor leader declined to answer it, asserting that it was a catch question.
 At another time, while Mir. Comp CTS was referring to the poverty 1f some workers, a man in the gall cry shouted:
 Heckling Frequent.
 "How poor are you ?"
 Gompers was plainly angered at the question. He demanded the nan't name amid shouts of encour- .gcment from his followers, and when he labor leader had referred to he disturber's remarks as a "cow- .rdly, ungentlemanly insinuation," he labor men shouted with glee.
 GOmpers Speaks First.
 MT. Gompers, the first speaker, pre- aced his argument with the announ- ement that he had been in confer nee during the day with representa- ives of the striking longshoremen nd that they had authorized him to tate they were willing ito submit ending controversies to fair and nbased board of arbitration and ill pledge themselves in advance Q abide byits decision"
 He declared further that the long, horemen would return to work with I six hours after the steamship com- anies have signified their wiling ess to arbitrate.
 Herbert Hoover, Dr. Nicholas Mur- ay Butler, James w. Gerard. Henry !. Davison, George w. Wickersham. aul M. Warburg, Paul D. Cravatk, Ieorge Foster Peabody and Misa Iary Garrett Hay were among those seats on the platform or | the boxes when the debate be- an.
 "We are now at the parting of the avs nthe great controversies which re occupying the minds of our peo- le," declared MT. Gompers beginning is direct argument of the debate. On the one hand, we have the great movement for progress. pr civilization and with all the tasks | nese impose, and on the other hand, e have those who are leading the purse of reaction, of injustice, Of vranny. The time is now at hand hen there must be determined wher her the eternal principles of frees om, justice and democracy shall hold way or be supplanted by the tyran~ y and the injustice of old"
 Mir. Gompers said he wanted to TIT own few fundamental principl s nd one of his executive committe& IT'S. Sarah A. Conboy, read the fol- owing statement: Ss'
 Unions Not Trust. "The fact that the voluntary or- of the wage workers sresI eclared by the courts to be ftuatHS nd combinations in illegal restxnin f trade, does not necessarily 50 etl :