Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-01-23

Washington, Jan. a2-0pponents OF
autI-seditIon measures. led by Samuel
Gompers, president of the American
Federation of Labor today urged Til
House rules committee TO block tn
passage Of the measures because u
their drastic provisions and 5ecaus
sufficient laws now exist To prosecnf
dangerous radicals and communists
Attorney General Palmer who prt
viouEly had announced his support =,
the Sterling bill which passed tin
Senate and Graham measure which
has been held UP IN the House be-
cause Of the drastic death penah
provision. failed TO appear II defense
Of the measure.
The Davy bill introduced q week
ago provides lines not exceeding Slb,-
600 and imprisonment for not more
than % years for persons convicted
of an attempt 10 overthrow the gov
erumen1 OF OF acts Of violence against
the government
The measure also would prohibit.
writings or teachings which consIi-
ture seCILlDn-
The department Of Justice is ready.
Mr. Palmer informed the committee,
TO enforce whatever Legislation Con
grass snouiC see nj II pass. M.
Gumpers appearing as the spokesman
for the American Federation Of La
Dor denounced the pending bills IN
UNQUALIFIED terms. Mass meetings.
with the orderly purpose 10 strike u
improve living conditions. would be
suppressed under the bill, asserted the
labor cnieftain, adding that strikes
and cessations Of labor are nothing
more or less than aspirations Of Work :
ing people To improve their conditions.
Il do not believe this species VI
Legislation will suifie the thing IT -
supposed To do" Mr.. Gompers assert
ed but rather II will provoke tbs
opposite II will LIE men to their
jobs"
E ". Evans. president Of the year
adeIphia said II was Impossible (
separate freedom Of speech and the
freedom Of religion. He Advocated az
appeal TO the public spirited people OF
this country IN an effort to put down
those who would overthrow the gov
eminent rather than utilization o.
drastic laws.
kilograms from 80 newspaper pub
Iisners protesting against the sections
Of the bill which they said would
limit the freedom Of the press wer
read into the record ny Chairman
Campbell
James Weldon Johnson. former cor
al To Nicaragua. protested agaius
the bill in this half Of rhe Nationns
association for advancement o.
coiored people
Under sections Of the bin more
printing Of facts and data about
lyu-hing might render a publication
non-nailable, said ne.
Zacharia H Chafee. Of Harvard
University. said sufficieuI laws ex-
listed 10 stamp out radical activities
The ban on the display Of red flag
ne said. would prohibit the display Of
the Harvard crimson banners.
There are reported 70 he many
'parior boIstevists among coTleg
professors. said Chairman Campbell
" Are there any at HarvarC"''
MOT more than ELSEWHERE Chafee
replied. Bur w,la1 Of in
DO these socialists believe IN ous
IT think So" Chafee replied But
why couldn't we rationaIlze Industries
and our form Of government"
Why have Congress, then " asked
Campbell.
To run the railroads" was th. reply
"Do you advocate tine change Of gov
eminent by forcsr' asked Representa-
tive Smell, Republican. View York.
''I do fnr some governments Ci1afee
saic In the case of Russia I would
but not in this Country"
Howard A, Davis IF Boston T1ressn ted
petition from the Harvard Liberal
Clup Of that city which stated passage
of the measures would be a calamity
forever discrediting those who pass it -
OBJ 5ecriun 10 th. prov isirn wfi + would
permit the postmaster general 10 bar
from the mails newspapers publishing
objectionab bic stories OF cartoons was
made by S. P. Weston Of Seattle rep
reser-ing the American Newspaper
Publishers Associatiun
Under This bill Republican peg mas
tars might suppress all Democratic pa
pers. Weston said