The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-01-21
Organized Labor Will Fight
Legislation Pending to Sup
press Sedition
DECLARES IT is
NOT NECESSARY
Statement Asserts That Exist
ing Laws Are Sufficient For
the Purpose Sought

Washington, Jan. 1S.-Fornlal an
nouncement that the American Fed
Grafton of Labor will oppose with
whatever power il may possess en-
act,nent Of the anti-seGition bills nov
pending in congress was made in a
statement issued today by Samuel
Gompers, president OF the federation.
His attack is directed impartially at
the Sterling bill recently passed by
the senate and the Graham bill based
on proposals by Attorney General!
Palmer and awaiting action by the
house rules committee for q specia.
rule to expedite consideration.
The proposed bill" he said, If en-
acted would violate the constitution
and rob the whole American people
Of their most cherished and basic
guarantees Of free government.
IF the American. and in fact a
majority Of the members Of congress
were awake TO the dangers concealed
in this bill storm Of indignation
would sweep the nation.
3'It has been widely advertised that
this measure protects free speech fully
nut prevents advocacy Of forcible rev.
olution, bolshevism and anarchy. II
fact. it would pe-petuate an auto
cratic censorship over the entire
American press. Il can be used tc
Kill free speech and free assembly. 7
strikes deadly blow at legitimate
organizations Of labor or any othe.
progressive movement for the beter
ment OF the masses which may be oio.
posed by the advocates Of privife&s
ard reaction.
We yield to no man in public OF
zee in loyalty to the constitution an.!
institutions Of this country, no self re-
specting man has questioned or dare
question that loyalty. We are for
evolution, not revolution; for ballots.
not ,1!le:s; for a majority rule, not
class dictatorship CT bo,snevisnl. D!u-
tocracy or of the profiteer.
I'VE oppose this bill because every
legitimate purpose for which 1t is
framed is already covered by existing
law. Its illesitinlate features. which
compose two-thir6s of the draft. are
utterly a1;ocratic. iIn2erialistic and
:;nAmeri2an."
Referring to -AttorHc;' General Pal
naerS contention that new i::ws are
necessary to reach the individual! who
advocates opposition 20 government By
violence" Mr.. Go2apers cited section
four oe f;.a penal code and asked:
IF revolution IS afno:. via: mas not
the department made prosecutions
under tbs, section .?
Section FIVE af tioc Bill. unbciiev-
able as il may sec:,:," be continued.
easily can he construed TO mean, if
indeed it does not make it. q crime, so
vague and involved is the Technology.
70 wear in public any button of any
organization Whose purpose it is to
secure an amendment TO the constitu
ton Of the United States or any exist
ing federal law.
Section six perpetuates the censor
ship of the postmaster general over
newspapers and printed matter.
More amazing still. the proviso sets
up censorship over any mans private
correspondence by the postmaster
used to prevent the organization Of
negro labor on the grounds of incit-
ing racial prejudice, the intended or
probable result Of which appeal is to
cause rioting. ETC. No doubt advocacy
of. or opposition TO. the cause Of Irish
freedom would in some sections be
prohibited.
Section seven would exclude from
this country. even for Libraries and in
vestigators, a large portion of the Ia
Dor literature of Europe.
sections nine, ten and II contain
q grave threat aimee: a. labor.
IF a hostile federal judge should
decide that any particular strike has
a political end in view and the strik-
ing union is affiliated with the
American Federation Of Labor. the
American Federation Of Labor would
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