The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-29

union organization in the United States
today"
Governor Allen then referred to
statements alleged to have been made
by union leaders in the past. including
Mr.. Gompers. that eff you take away
the right to strike, we will find some
other way"
Before the debate ceases tonight"
he said. Il implore Mr.. Gompers. in
behalf of the country, that is waiting
to know. what other way he has in
mind"
Nothing Tuken Away.
: Governor Allen outlined in detail the
organization and operation of the in
/ dustrial court system in effect in Kan
sas. Speaking of its effects upon the
| industrial world. he said:
I'VE have taken away nothing from
| labor, we have provided protection IN
| all the industries, we have forbidden
! convict labor to come in competi-
| ton with other labor. we nave estaD-
lished free employment service, we
| have provided an industrial welfare
/ commission, we have provided that no
| injunction, whether interlocutory or
permanent, in any case between en-
| ployer and employe, or between per-
sons employed, or persons seeking
| employment, growing out OF a dispute
concerning terms, conditions, ETC.,
shall be ISSUED without previous no.
tice and an opportunity to be heard
| in behalf of the party enjoined.
I'VE have established liens to pro-
tect workers, we have established the
| eight-hour day in mines, We have es-
| tablished everything that has been
established in the history of the prog
ress of this great industry.
He denied that the Kansas law de-
MED the workmen the privilege of COLI
lective bargaining. He said 1t gave
the miners that right whether they
were members of unions or not ana
protects the sanctity of their contract.
Governor Allen then assailed Mi.
Gompers's political activities. referring
| to Mr. Gompers's alleged orders to or
ganized labor to see that no man goes
to congress who is not in favor Oh Ia
/ boris program. He said:
| 1.-The political party in the forth
coming campaign that has not the con-
| structive courage to stand out ana
pledge to the public protection against
the wrongs and terrors of Industrial
: warfare will travel down the pathway
of cowardice to defeat"
| Storms of applause which lasted
several minutes greeted this. Gov
ernor Allen concluded his direct ar
gument by asking Mr.. Gompers 10
| define ''who had the divine right TO
forbid the switchmen to strike in their
i outlaw strike, who controls this drvine
right to quit work"
Who Ordered Strike?
Mr. Gompers. speaking in rebuttal,
said he would like to answer the gov
ernor if he had time. Several voices
in the audience shouted: you can't
/ You can't
Mr.. Gompers said he would prove it
If he lived long enough. He did not
return to the governors question,
however, until some minutes later,
when he said:
! THE governor says that he wants
to take from me, from Gompers, the
| divine right of ordering strikes. 1t
reminds me very much OF man who
! has been told story utterly ridicul-
Gus, but to his bland mind it seemed
| to be simply the truth and he ran
| away and believed it. 1t may be in
teresting news to the governor to
know that in all my life l have never
ordered a strike of two men, more or
less-nevet, never-and L challenge
| him or anyone else who Will give me
| his name to assert the contrary"
Somebody in the audience shouted:
81 who ordered the striker
| GO home and find out. Take your
special train back to Kansas" Mr..
Gompers retorted, amid shouts of
| laughter from the audience.
| Governor Allen, in rebuttal, went
into details of the Kansas coal strike.
saying that Gompers had not said
! anything of the man who does not
want to go out on a strike.
| He has said nothing of that funda-
mental provision in union labor for
the compulsory organization of labor,
not a word and yet it stands out as
| great and operative principle in 1t,
| he declared. my friends, If there is
| going to be any compuision in this
country one man over another, then
in Gods name let us have that COM
pulsion directed by government"
Governor Allen declared the day is
coming when the doctrine we pre-
| scented in Kansas will come to be
! adopted as the broad and just and i'm
partial remedy for the compulsion of
unionism. I would not seek to wipe
out unionism. 1 would seek only to
place it under less radical direction"
ALIEN UInT0QV