Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-12
LEADERS OUTLINE
VIEWS OF LABOR
Reply to Fifty-Five Questions
Asked by Republican Ma
tional Committee.

In reply to questions submitted to
| organized labor by the republican
national committee. labor's stand on
! certain problems considered vital to
| the welfare Of the nations workers
| stated In detail
Labor's support of political office
! aspirants in the next election viii!
! depend largely upon the candidates
| acceptance of the platform set forth
! in the replies to the republican ma
| tional committees QUESTIONABLE, it
I is understood.
| The fftv-tive questions asked by
| the republican organization were an
| swered by Samuel Gompers president
| of the American Federation of Labor;
Matthew VOL. vice president. and
| Frank Morrison. secretary Of the fed
! GRAFTON, only after communications
| from other labor representatives had
| been received
| Strike InjunctiOns Opposed.
Strike injunctions are vigorously
\ opposed by organized labor. In reply
! to the question, What Is the proper
! scope of the injunction in labor dis
| putes: il is stated that the injunc-
| ton should not have a place in labor
| disputes. as il is undemocratic.
| The industrial court created by the
| Kansas legislature was also con-
| demned. Its principles were declared
10 be so anti-democratic as to be re-
pusnant to every American idea Of
justice, freedom and democracy.
! Opposition to collective cooperation
| through shop committees was ex-
pressed in the reply. Such substitutes
for trade union organizations that do
not meet the needs of the working
tpeople are said to be impractical.
In reply to the question as to the
manner in which wage earners wish
| 10 organize. it was said the fact that
the American trade union movement
is made up of more than 5000 900 or
ganized workers is sufficient answer.
Trade unions, farmers societies and
| cooperative organizations organized
not for profit, but for the mutual well
| fare Of the members. should be ex-
empt from the provisions of antitrust
! laws. is another principle set forth by
! labor. The law in existence at the
! present time declares the labor of a
| human being is not commodity or
article of commerce. The Clayton law
| lays down this principle, and, it is
| pointed out. this principle cannot be
! abandoned with safety, and should be
| followed in all states
| II was stated that acceptance of the
Clayton law makes impossible leKisla-
ton limiting the right to cease work,
or strike. The signers of the docu-
ment believe that government en-
ployes should seek redress for their
grievances through the political ma
| chlnery of the nation. It is, however
declared that the right OF government
employees to cease work. must be
maintained, although there should
never be occasion to use this right.
Favors U. 8. Employment Agencies.
| In urging the re-esta blishment of
document reads:
1T was with the deepest regret tina i,
| organized labor witnessed the dis !.
banding Of the free federal employ.
ment agencies. built during the war,
| and they should be re-established A
| system of local. state and federal pub
lie agencies such as are operating sue
cessful1y in Great Britain today would
be desirable,
Equal pay for equal work was in
should apply. 20 women as We'll ss men.
IT was stated. ?Mininrimy wage boards
! were said to be Id the main nm Effort
to weaken the inhuences Of organized
labor. If collective bargaining would
De agreed to by employers. such boards
would be unnecessary. it was said.
| There is no present necessity In
American industry for persons to la
Dor more than eight hours a day, it
I was held by organized labor in in
dorsing the eight-hour day Halliday
holidays on Saturdays were also in
dorsed.
Opposition was made to so-called
company welfare and uplift organi-
| cations" These should be eliminated
| it was stated. and welfare work con-
Quoted by labor organizations substi-
tuted
Employees should have the right to
choose representatives from within OF
without the plant concerned, 1t was
pointed out. Payment of such wages
as will render old age and retirement
i q
was also a minimum age of sixteen
years for children in industry.