The Mena weekly star., 1920-06-03
ALLEN AND CON-
 DERo IN nFRATE iu1U W DLDHtL
The Kansas Governor Defends His States Industrial Court in Word Battle in New Ycrk--Both of the 1, Speakers Get Much Applause.

New lOrk, May L5.--camuef GOm- pers, president of the American Fed eration of Labor, and Gov. Henry J. Allen of Kansas, met last night to de- bate the merits of the recently enact ed Kansas Industrial Court law and kindred subjects. Judge Alton B. Parker presided. Mir. Gompers and Governor Allen walked on the stage shortly after 8 o'clock, each followed by supporters. When the cheering had subsided a band struck up ssThere1l Be q Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight"
 Mir. Gompers, the first speaker, an- nounced he had been in conference during the day with striking long shoremen and that they had autorized him to say they were willing ''to iay their cause before a fair and unbiased board of arbitration, and will pledge themselves in advance to abide by it's ficision." He declared the long shoremen would return to work with in six hours after the steamship com panies have signified their willingness to arbitrate.
 4 Crucial Time.
 "We are now at the parting of the ways in the great controversies which are occupying the minds of our peo- ple," declared Mir. Gompers. "On the one hand we have the great construc- tive movement for progress, for civil ization and with all the tasks these impose, and on the other hand, we have those who are leading the course of reaction. of injustice, of tyranny. The time is now at hand when there must be determined whether the eter- nal principles of freedom, justice and democracy shall hold sway or be sup plemented by the tyranny and the in- justice of old.
 sThere is a common error in the mind of many who confuse the terms Tabor and capital as being in exact ly equal position toward each other; the fact of the matter is that capital is the product of labor.
 ''There is one thing about the la bor question which is axiomatic," MT. Eompcrs continued, 'that is; If you attempt to outlaw strikes by 1egisla- ton, depend upon it, your law will be futile and you will simply make erie minals snd lawbreakers out of work men who are honest, patriotic citizens. There is just one ground upon which any justification may be assumed to tie men to their jobs and make strikes unlawful; that is the confession that our republican institutions and our democracy have ceased"
 Mir. Gompers' direct argument end cd amid prolonged applause and cheers, at the conclusion of which a labor delegation presented him with a floral offering.
 Allen Applauded.
 Governor Allen also was greeted with prolonged applause when he was introduced. He defended the Kansas Industrial court, declaring that "the safety of the public is the supreme law"
 He said that this was the funda- mental axiom upon which he and bis supporters were working and which governed his attitude toward capital, labor and the disputes which arise be- tween them. He reviewed the labor troubles in Kansas last winter. laying emphasis on the coal strike and the al- legged hardships resulting.
 "We have not forbidden to any man the right to quit york; he said, "we merely have taken away from Mir Gompers his divine right to order a man to quit work" He referred to a statement alleged to have been made by union leaders in the past, includ- ing MT. Gompers, that eff you take away the right to strike, we will find some other way. Before the debate ceases tonight" he said, "I implors Mr. Gompers in behalf of the country that is waiting to know, what other way he has in mind"
 Governor Allen outlined the organi. xation of the Industrial court system in effect in Kansas and said:
 The Mooted Statute.
 'sWe have taken away nothing iron labor. we have provided protection il all industries; we have forbidden con vict labor to come in competition witt other labor; we have established ; free employment service; we hav, provided an industrial welfare com mission; we have provided that nc in junction, whether interlocutory O
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