Evening star., 1920-05-29
MR.. GOMPERSAND
| GOV. ALLEN DEBATE
Adherents Cheer Speakers
During Progress of Argu-
mentS on Industrial Court.

NEW YOhh. May Zy--Ihe relations
Of capital .and labor: the right to
strike and its legitimacy as regards
the effect on the public: the Kansas
industrial court law and it's signif-
icance to the future of the working
man. were intertwined in a remark
able debate last night in Carnegie
Hall between Samuel Gompers. presi-
dent of the American Federation of
Labor. and Gov. Henry J. Allen of
Kansas.
Gov. Aliens main contention was
| that government has the right to pro-
tect the public against strikes when
Its welfare Is imperiled. while Mr..
Gompers held to the argument that
no law can prevent man from stop
ping work IL by doing so he may ben
efit himself and his family. Gompers
labeled the Kansas industrial court
law the "un-American slave law" and
Gov. Alien declared he had taken
away from Gompers his divine right
to order a man to quit work.
Cheers Punctuate Debate.
The oratory of the debaters was
punctuated with frequent cheers and
occasional questions shouted from the
floor and the balconies.
Herbert Hoover. DIR. Nicholas Muir
ray Butler. James w. Gerard. Henry
lP. Dawson. George w. Wickersham,
Paul M Warburg. Paul D. Cravath.
Garrett Hay were among those occu-
ipyfng seats.
In support Of the right to strike
Gompers declared that the coal min
ers' strike took boys out of the mines;
that the textile workers strike
brought children out of the mills and
put them in the schoolroom. while the
strikes in the needles trades broke
up the sweatshops when laws had
failed to do so.
Gov. Aliens industrial command
mont was: You shall not conspire to
the welfare of the people,"
When the general public says we
nave mad enough of this" he said,
its over"
who controls the divine right to
quit work." Allen asked. He was an
swered with cheers and boos.
Called for No Decision.
The debate called for no decision.
tne committees in charge having pur-
tween supporters of each speaker.
MI Gompers. in championing labor's
privilege to strike. electrified his par-
tisans when he said with much emo
lion thae the workingman who would
not try 10 Deneft his condition was
Gov. Allen scored a point with his
Iriends with the assertion that il
tnere is to be a government Of JUS
tice there can't be any part greater
than the whole.
He alluded to the attitude of the
American Federation of Labor in the
approaching election toward un-
frienly oh1ceholders as a movement
to unionize the Congress of the
United States"
The Kansas court does n1A prose-
cute labor. Gov. Allen said. but it pro-
against labor. and the public against
either or both.
Declines to Answer Questfon,
A feature of the debate was Aliens
enorts to get Gompers to answer this
when a dispute between capital
and labor brings on a strike affecting
the production or distribution of the
necessaries of life. thus threatening
the public peace and impairing the
public health, has the public any
rights in such a controversy. or is it
private war between capital and
labor?
"If you answer this question in the
Affirmative. Mr.. Gompers, how would
you protect the rights of the public?"
The labor leader declined to an
swer it. asserting that it was a catch
question.
Heckler AnGefs G0mpers.
At another time. while Mr.. Gompers
was referring to the poverty of some
workers. man in the gallery
shouted:
How poor are you?"
Gompers was plainly angered at the
question. He demanded the mans
name amid shouts of encouragement
from his followers, and when the
labor leader had referred to the dis
turber's remarks as "a cowardly. un-
gentlemanly insinuation" the labor
men shouted with glee.
Gov. Allen in conclusion charged
that Gompers' remedy for war is
mine" he added. "is peace condi-
toned on the impartial judgment OF
responsible government"
Within a year, the governor pre-
dicted. the best friends of the Kansas
industrial law would be the laboring
men Of Kansas.
Alton b. Parker presided. only once
or twice having to ask for order.
MIR, Gompers also stilled the audience
with a wave of his hand when the
uproar Threatened to interfere with
his progress.