Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-01-19
ORGANIZED LABOR TO WAGE BITTER FIGHT
AGAINST PENDING ANTI-SEDITION BILLS
G0MPERS SEES DEADLY BLOW To MASSES
Sterling and Graham Measures Now Before
Congress Aimed at Reds - Labor Leaders
Declare Dangers Hid in Bills People Should
Know of-Would Kill Free Speech and Free
Assembly - Present Penal Code Adequate
to Reach Radicals if Enforced - Proposed
Law Would Mean Reign of Terror in u. S.
PRESENT LAW ENOUGH

Washington. Jan. 1S-Eeferring to
Attorney General Palmer's conten-
ton that new laws are necessary To
reach the individual who advocates
opposition to he government vio-
lence, Mr.. Gompers cited section
four OF the penal code and asked
II revision is afoot why has not the
department Of justice made prosecu-
tions under that section"
Section five of the bill, unbeliev-
able as IL may seem" he continued.
May he easily construed to mean. IL
indeed il does not make IT, crime,
50 vague and involved is the terrnin-
oiogy TO wear in public any button
OF an organization whose purpose it
is 10 insure an amendment of L =
ted States or existing Federal law.
Section 6 perpetuaIes, the censor
ship OF the postmaster general ove-
newspapers and printed matter. The
so-caiied Borah amendment. provid-
ing court review OF the postmaster
clple. but is inadequate To afford a
Prac1cai matter TO publisher
against autocratic action of the post
master general.
More amazing still. the proviso sets
up censorship over any mans
private correspondence by The post
master general. 1t would be crimi-
nal Tor example, for a man to send
letter advocating resistance to an
injunction issued h. a federal Judge
ordering workers on strike to go back
! 10 work. Moreover 1hIs section can
be used TO prevent the ORGANIZE
ton Of colored labor on the grounds
OF melting racial prejudice. the in
/ tended or probable .esult of which
appeal Is TO. cause rioting. etc No
uoubl advocacy Of or opposition 10
the cause of Irish freedom in some
, sections would he prohibited.
section Z would exclude from this
country, even for libraries and in
NestISators large portion of the
iapor literature of Europe.
sections 3. 10 and Il contain q grave
| threat aimed al labor. Section makes
unlawful every association which seeks
directly or indirectly to make politicaI
! change by injury to private property.
II is true that even legitimate sta+e
! may result in injury 10 the EMPLOYERS
private property right in his business.
Ihe recent steel and coal strikes wera
| poth FALSELY heralded as attempts 10
! overthrow our government
If hostile federal judge should de-
cioe that any particular strike has 4
political end in view and the striking
union is affiliated with the American
Federation Of Labor. the American
Fe7 Grafton of Labor would pc compeIIe.l
at once TO expel the striking union "
Itself become unlawful. And il at on.e
becomes crime punishable BIZ IN 10
~ years imprisonment or up to so O.p
hie or both, for any person anywhere
IN the nation TO rent hall or business
office TO any labor organization fTiiiated
with The American Federation Of Iab,-
or TO give or loan II money to send
strike relief to starving women and chill
6ren
In general this is bin against
opnloh and advocacy. II proposes 20
set UP not a government Of Law bu, If
men. because under its vague and
sweeping terms no man would know
what the law is until the federal Judge
interprets it's meaning
The inevitable result Of this hill is
enacted, would be to spread a reign of
terror over the United States. fill the
country with spies and special agents
OF the department of justice fill the
land with suspicion and he-esv-hun ms,
would quickly become national indus
try. IF the principles of Magma Charter
and the declaration of independence and
the constitution Of the United States are
not worth fifn1ting to preserve, I have
wholly nisconceived what patriotism
and love Of freedom mean"