The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-08
ALLEN HURLS
BACK ANSWER
At COMP PERS!
He's Trying to Retain Soft Jobs
for Leaders, He Says.
Governor Takes Up Attack on
the Industrial Court.
COST MORE THAN THE PESTS
Farmer Realizes Results of Rad
ical Leadership in L. S.
Handwriting on Wall Frightens
Heads of Federation.
Governor Takes Up Attack on
the Industrial Court.
COST MORE THAN THE PESTS

1t isn't for love of the wage Garner
and the farmer that radical labor lead
ership is fighting-it is to retain a
bunch of soft jobs. That is the an
swer which Governor Allen hurls back
to Samuel Gompers's attack on the in
dustrial court law. The governor
laughed at Gompers's appeal to the
farmers and declared they are fully
as well acquainted with his effect upon
their prosperity as they are with the
grassshoppers, chinch bugs and hail
storms"
Governor Allen put Gompers and
Howat and their lieutenants in the
class with common pests and asserted
there is a hopeful sign in politics that
the rank and file of labor ARE weary
and no longer take his stock phrases
seriously" It is the handwriting on
the wall-not merely the Kansas in
dUstriaI court law-whlch frlghtens
Gompers at this time. the governor de
clared. The danger of similar laws Tor
other states the breaking down OF the
weekly contribution system to salaried
leaders-that is the fly in the ONT
ment as the governor views GOmpers's
latest attack.
Aliens Reply.
In his office today the governor dis
cussed the Gompers statement to Ia
Dor in his daily conference with press
representatives. He then made reply
to the American Federation of LABOR
head in the following characteristic
statement:
since the cot rt was established less than
six months ago it has rendered more than
a dozen decisions in cases brought Dy lehu-
ers of organized labor In every one OF these
ga ses the decision of the court mas DeheIllet
labor. save in one exception where appeal
to the federal courts award was accepttd
by both sides. Mr. Gompers cannot point
to "a single action of the court which has
been harmful to labor. Every action OF me
court has shown its spirit to be ooth Just
and helpful to labor unions and all any
friend Of the court is asking Is that the
law he given an opportunity for a talr trlai.
There can be only one reason why Com
pers and othes radical labor union leaders
object to the Kansas law having a falr
chance. Ii is apparent, of course. that II
the law succeeds the industry of making Il
living off organized labor as a labor agl-
tator viii be destroyed. If the government
has the power to guarantee fun and impair
tial Justice to labor, then there VIII be no
necessity in the future for men who belong
10 labor unions TO contribute from their
wages every week to keep Mr. Gompers ana
other members of his particular trlbe IN
easy Jobs The contest is not between the
government of Kansas and the labor un-
ions. It is an honest effort to give TO the
lab0ring men the guaranty of Justice and
rclieve them of waste aud burdens incident
to the support of Alex HOwat whose bad
leadership has cost them so large a share
Of their wages and brought them no vic
tories.
1T is natural that these leaders should
fear the Kansas law Mr. Gomperss ad-
vice to Kansas to repeal this law will be
utterly without effect as viii his advice to
other states not to pass a similar law. The
people of this country are weary of Mr.
Gompers $ efforts to dominate politics. and
one hopeful indication is that many of
those whom he assumes to lead are weary
of 1t and do no longer take his stock
phrases seriously. Nothing could be more
absurd than his advice for the farmers to
line up under his leadership. Mr. Gompers
and his leaders have cost this country more
than all the natural pests. and the farmers
are fully as well acquainted with his effect
upon their prosperity as they are with the
grasshoppers, chinch bugs and hailstOrms" ;"