The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-29
ALLEN VICTORY
TO Be A FACTOR
FOR DISTINCTION
Debate Clearly a Kansas
Achievement Is the Belief.
Governor Completely Out
Argued Gompers in New York.
WOULDN'T ANSWER QUESTIONS
Labor Leader DOdged Quizzes
Mid Hoots of Big Crowd.
"Shut Up!" He Yelled to
"Answer" Calls in Audience.
ALLEN WEAKENED BUT ONCE
Then Police Gathered in Doors
to Watch the Crowd.
His Criticism of Labor Leaders
Was Misunderstood.
SMILED HIS WAY THRU DEBATE
Governor Never Lost His
a. Temper During the HOOts.
GOmpers ScOlded Audience and
Fused at Their Jeers.
Then Police Gathered in Doors
to Watch the Crowd.
His Criticism of Labor Leaders
Was Misunderstood.
SMILED HIS WAY THRU DEBATE
Governor Never Lost His
:. Temper During the HOOts.
GOmpers ScOlded Audience and
Fused at Their Jeers.

New York, May 29.-Governor Al
lens victory last night over Samuel
Gompers. president of the American
Federation of Labor. in their debate
on industrial relations will be a great
er factor in swinging the Kansas chief
executive into a place of national dis
tinction than any event since the en-
actment of the industrial court laws.
in the opinion of the governors fol-
lowers here.
The debate was so clearly an Allen
achievement and Mr.. Gompers was 50
completely out-argued in his own field
that the governor left with colors fly
ing. His first assault on Gomperss s
opening was smashing and telling He
told the distinguished labor leader
he could agree with various historical
references made but he could not
agree on the meaning of liberty. In
almost the only touch of ridicule he
used in the whole debate the governor
recited the wrongs done by the union
to a member miner who defied the
Union and went back to work in the
coal fields and then turned on Com
pers and asked in a cutting voice:
Now where's your personal liberty?"
Campaign Keynote.
The governor sounded a campaign
keynote in his only reference to poll
tics when he said: THE political
party which hasn't the courage in the
coming campaign to pledge to the
public protection against the wrongs
and terrors of industrial warfare will
travel down the pathways of coward
ice and defeat"
Only once in his first rebuttal did
Governor Allen weaken. Then it was
a case of being misunderstood, for his
criticism of labor leaders for running
up the war bill by demanding enor-
nous wages. was taken by the radicals
in the audience to refer to the work.
ingmcn themselves.
The thunder of Kisses and booes
was onfnous. The hundreds of police
which had beer modified around the
building to cope with trouble and dis
orders were brought in close and from
ten to fifteen uniformed men ap-
peared in every doorway. In a mo-
ment the governor had put his point
over. and was again being tolerated
by the radicals, tho an element of the
support he had been winning steadily
was lost in the incident.
Aliens Direct Question.
Gompers squirmed under the three
questions put to him by Governor AL
len. The questions were:
when a dispute between capital
and labor brings on strike affecting
.the production or distribution of the
Alecessaries OF life, thus threatening
the public peace and impairing the
public health. has the public any
rights IN such a controversy, or is it a
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 +?
"And in addition, l wish him to de-
fine for us If he will who had the
divine right to forbid the switchmen
TO strike in their outlaw strike. What
controls this divine right to quit
work >"
Gompers Didn't Answer.
At first Gompers insisted he would
answer If there were only time" In