The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1920-06-04
SAM GOMPERS AND
GOV. ALLEN DEBATE.
FORMER SAYS ETERNAL PRlN-
cIPLES OF FREEDOM, JUSTICE,
DEMOCRACY MUST PREVAIL.
THERE IS COMMON ERROR"
Gov. Allen Defends Industrial Court
Is MOI Representative of Labor or
Capital, But Speaks for Gen.
erai Public.

/ New York.-Carnegie Hall was
packed TO the doors when. Samuel
Gompers, president OF the American
Federation of Labor, and Gov. Henry
J. Allen of Kansas met TO debate the
merits OF the recently enacted Kan
sas industrial court law and kindred
subjects. Judge Alton B. Parker OF
this city presided and introduced the
speakers.
Mr.. Gompers and Gov. Allen walked
on the stage shortly after s O'Clock
while the audience arose and cheered
Each was followed by large body of
supporters.
I'VE are now at the parting of the
ways in the great controversies which
are now occupying the minds of our
people," declared Mr.. Gompers, the
first speaker, beginning argument OF
the debate. ION the one hand, we
have the great constructive movement
for progress, for civilization and with
all the tasks these impose, and on the
other hand we have those who arde
leading the course of reaction, of in
justice, of tyranny. The time is at
hand when there must be determined
whether the eternal principles of free
dom, justice and democracy shall hold
sway or be supplanted by the tyranny
and the injustice of old.
There is common error in the
mind of large number of our people,
and peoples of the whole world who
confuse the term labor and capital
as being in exactly equal position to-
ward each other. The fact of the
matter is that capital is the product
of labor
THE difference between slave and
q free man Is that the slave must
work when his master or owner di-
reefs and wills. The free man may
stop his work, and whatever conse-
quences of suffering that may be in |
volved is his suffering and the suffer
ing Of no one else"
Mr.. Gompers' direct argument ended |
amid prolonged applause and cheers, |
at the conclusion of which labor /
delegation presented him with floral |
Gov. Allen also was greeted with |
prolonged applause when he was in
He lost no time in coming |
to the defense of the Kansas indus |
trial court, building his argument on /
the promise that 'the safety of the
public is the supreme law
He declared this was the funda-
mental axiom upon which he and his
supporters were working and which
governed his attitude toward capital,
abor and the disputes which arise be-
.ween them. He asserted he was not
present as representative of capital
,r labor but 'as a representative OF
III of us-the general public
He reviewed the labor troubles in
Kansas last winter, laying especial
emphasis on the coal strike, and the
llieged hardships resulting therefrom.
Eve have not forbidden to any man
he right to quit work." he asserted.
We merely have taken away from
Ir Gompers his divine right to order
man to quit work
"A great deal is said about the
-rowth of brotherhood, and l am not
unconscious tonight of all the prog
ess that has been made by organized |
abor through its solidarity. And
m glad for the legitimate progress
( every labor union organization in |
he United States today