The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1920-01-19
LABOR ATTACKS
SEDITION BILL
ASCZAR RULE
Gompers Declares A. F. Of
L. Will Oppose it With
All Resources.
FREE SPEECH In PERIL
Measure Would Fill Nation
With Spies, Asserts ;,
Union Head.
FREE SPEECH In PERIL

Denouncing the peace-time sedition
bill urged upon Congress by Attorney
General Palmer as ''Prussian and
czaristic Russian" in its intents.
President Samuel Gompers. Of the
American Federation of Labor. yes
terday declared that American citi-
zens who love liberty and love
America cannot stand idly by and
permit this legislation to be en-
acted
Mr.. Gompers' indictment of the bill
was a sweeping one. In a statement
he asserted that not only is it a
grave threat against labor. but that
1t would perpetuste autocratic CEN
sorship over the entire American
press, and would re-establish the
censorship OF the postmaster general,
even to private correspondence.
The measure in general is char
acterized as a bill against opinion and
advocacy designed to set up a gov
ernment not of law but of men. Mr.,
Gompers says:
IF the American people. and in fact
a majority of the members OF Con-
gress, were awake to the dangers
concealed in this bill. a storm Of in
dignation would sweep the nation.
1T can be used to kill free speech
and free assembly. 1t strikes a dead
ly blow at legitimate organizations nj
labor or any other progressive move
ment for the betterment of the masses
which may be opposed by the advo-
Gates Of privilege and reaction.
The inevitable result of this bill
IL 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 JUS
tice. fill the land with suspicion, and
heresy hunting would quickly become
a national industry
Hearing to BE Thursday.
Objections to the bill will be voiced
1T the hearing next Thursday beffFe
the House Rules Committee. The
measure which will re subjected to a
searching analysis is the Sterling
Graham" bill.
Despite the title, the measure is
really the drastic Graham bill, pri-
marily drafted by the Attorney Gen.
eral, while only the enacting clause
of the milder Sterling bill of the Sem
ate. has been retained.
In graphical analysis OF the bill,
prepared by ]. David Thompson, for
merly legislative reference librarian IL
the Library of Congress. 1t is shown
that the peace-tiIne sedition bill con-
tains repetitions of the act Of 1900
and 1t is asserted that II the Attor-
ney General has any real evidence OF
Bolshevism or of movement to
bring about q revolution he can con-
vict under the existing statute
As a case in point of the "limitless'
around covered by the sedition bill, II
is pointed out that under section ].
Chief Justice White of the United
States Supreme Court, who fought
under the nag OF the Confederacy
would be barred from holding his
Office
Thorough Opposition Promised.
Among the principal indictments
against the sedition bill. which Mr..
Gompers says "the American FEEDER
alton of Labor will oppose with
whatever power it may possess, "
arc:
That its illegitimate features are
utterly autocratic, imperiaIistic and
anti-American.
That ITS supreme danger lies in
its vagueness and in the manner in
which ii may be administered.
That its prohibition of force is
intended to include Industrial ac-
tivity and inhibition OF strikes.
That it is aimed at the miners
and the railway brotherhoods.
That even the wearing of a
Plumb plan button would be ana
thema-
That sections drafted for the
purpose of suppressing radical ne
gro papers could readily be employ
cd against persons either opposing
or advocating the cause of the free
dom of the Irish or of other ma
tions.
That the censorship provisions
not only would restrict the Ameri-
can press, but would exclude a large
= portion OF the labor literature OF