The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1921-08-19

Washington. - Congressman Cable
member of the house committee on
immigration, shows that if the pro-
posed coolie resolution is approved
by congress, it will annul all federal
acts to prevent slavery, peonage, con-
tract labor and Oriental immigration.
Sentiment in congress is swinging
away from the coolie bill, officially
known as H. j. Res. III, introduced
by the territorial delegate from Ha-
waii.
While the danger is by no means
removed, A. F. of l.. representatives
believe that a strong sentiment has
been built up against the measure
and that Hawaiian sugar planters are
far from certain now of the desired
hordes of Chinese coolies to work on
the plantations as bondmen.
The entire fight against the prop
ositiOn has been waged by organized
labor No other organization has
protested against the reintroduction
of slavery on American soil
Under the terms of the joint reso-
luton it would be possible, upon pro-
clamation by the president that an
emergency exists, to import approx
mately $4,000 Chinese coolies, in
bond, into Hawaii
During the testimony of President
Gompers before the house immigra-
tion committee it was developed that
about 25 years ago, when the question
of the annexation of Hawaii was un-
der consideration, conference was
held at hotel in this city between
members of congress, the sugar inter-
ests of the United States and repre-
sentatives of Hawaii.
At that time CIaud Spreckles in
formed the Hawaiians that if the
islands were permitted to come into
the United States the people of the
islands would have to accept the labor
laws of the United States as we'll as
the tariff laws. They would have to
swallow the bitter with the sweet and
that they must take their chance with
the citizens of the United States. The
Hawaiians said that they knew they
would have to do that and would ac-
cept the conditions.
President Gompers was on the
stand before the house immigration
committee continuously for day and
a half, presenting to the committee
the objections of organized labor and
the objections of American citizen
ship to the coolies resolution.
Inch by inch the A. F. of l.. execu-
tive battered down every excuse for
the importation of cO0lie labor. He
showed that there was no necessity
for coolie labor and that under the
terms of the United States constitu-
tion there could be no such condition
of bondage as that which would re-
suit from adoption of I'll. j. Res. III,
the c0olie resolution.
President Gompers concluded his
testimony with an emphatic declara-
ton against the resolution, based
upon the principles involved, during.
which he said:
II call your attention to the fact
that it is not wise to take the heart
and the spirit out of American work
ers. 1t is not wise to lead them into
position of fear, anguish and anger
where no loyal support comes, be-
cause no voluntary, loyal support
comes to a government that uses OPP
preston and suppression.
eve appeal to you, as we have the
right as men and as citizens, to
maintain the American policy of Chi
nese exclusion by law the exclusion of
the Japanese and all other Orientals.
In my opinion the people of the repub-
lie of the United States have only
just entered upon the real mission of
our republic, to be the leader in in
dustrial progress, in democratic gov
ernment and humanitarian ideals.
Don not let US depart from that pol
icy, sound, good and progressive, but,
rather, strengthen it."
Congressman John l.. Cable, of