The New York herald., 1921-03-11
GOMPERS ATTACKS
EMPLOYER POLICY
Sounds Cry Against Reduced
Wages. Open Shop, Before
Harvard Students.
TAKES SARCASTIC TONE
Efforts Of Manufacturers to
Protect Freedom of Labor In
teresting. He Says.
TAKES SARCASTIC TONE

CAMBRIDGE. Mass. March l0.-Samuel
Gompers tonight voiced organized
labors opposition to wage reductions
and the open shop movement.
Addressing the Student Liberal Club
at Harvard University. the president
of the American Federation Of Labor
warned the enemies OF rational labor
unionsm against driving too hard the
bargain of wage revision, said that la
Dor regarded aspiration as a guaran-
tee under the Constitution. interpreted
that in terms OF I'VE want more" and.
asserting that the open shop was SIM
ply a subterfuge to close shops against
labor unionists. added that the, men
Of labor who have fought TO protect
the country and themselves against
political autocracy were not now going
10 submit to an industrial autocracy.
He said the time was one 10 try
mems souls and that with the cut
ting OF wages and profiteering still
going on the pirates Of finance and
of business have much TO answer for.
depressions and panics. so-called. said
the labor leader. Il have seen the PEN
dulum swing both ways through depres-
sions and revivals as we'll want 70
say IL al, "srnestness that II will not
do. II bodies no good. for the enemies OF
bona fide national labor unionism OF
America 10 drive the bargain TOO hard.
THE men OF labor are in earnest in
this movement OF ours They are deter
mined TO see 10 II that as q result Of
their labor ana services they are going
10 be regarded as sovereign citizens and
| obtain their guaranteed rights"
lis is OF considerable interest the
speaker remarked, In discussing the open
shop movement. ITO find employers. or
many or them organized in associations
and spending large sums for the purnose
of protecting employees IN their freedom.
History demonstrates no such care OF
master for his slave. ] submit for your
thought whether the National Associa-
ton Of Ma anufacturers. the National
Efectors Association. the chambers Of
commerce which have launched the CAM
onisn. conducting II with advertising.
page after page. against tile closed shop.
are seeking 70 protect employees in their
right not TO join a unior.
''rhe fact or the matter Is that there
are still living among employers typical
old 0ourbons-those who forget nothing
because they have learned nothing. There
arc some Of these who still hold the hope
that the time IL coming when there Will
be reostablished a condition OF serfdom
among the great class or toilers or the
land
The time when the worker was rep
Al 40 haw
and recedng forehead has past. and the
hostile employers should know that
Americas employees now stand erect.
demanding justice. and they viii be sat-
isfied with nothing but justice. Certain
inallenable rights are guaranteed them
by the Constitution. Aspiration one
of these that comes under the pursuit ot
happiness. aspiration for something
more and something better. We want
more. | wonde ii there is any hostile
employer VINO does not want more? n
understand the strength II the labor
movement Alright. & wants more ana
more until the fun measure OF justice i
received FOR its services"
The abor leader turned 10 scussion
Of strikes saying that Ike the poor
they are always with us. and contin-
ued
The effort now being made by some
TO make strikes per Sc unlawful will
fail TO make the cessation N work a
crime win react on the authors of such
= proposition and do more to shake the
faith or tho people In the freedom OF
our institutions than aught else.
Sow como mea who want 10 drive
The workers aEaM into Involuntary
gervitude. The law a. N nov exists i.
Kansas is sten further toward come
MI erttr tuh0r
The Eacr-CumWirs railroad iHv. bs
s, 'd REQUIRED tHa' Wau hoai no
overytsifG prsaib'e On see 90 th,i ser.
vlee should no, bt interrupted ~ amy
way. but no pos atty was provided fae
THAT sector because and he cvottd 4
railroad lobby ist FOR Wlat he advanced
as the reason ut was better TO have no
penalty provided. because with writs of
Injunction issued only when there Is no
adequate remedy available az law, omis-
sion Of a penalty left no adequate rem
edy available. and II was found ca sier
20 convict for violations or iniunctions
than for violations OF law"