The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-12
HotUat Flags Court In
lnterUieaU With Son
And Daughter Judges
Mildred Reed and W. L. Huggins, Jr of State Journal
Staff, Talk With Mine Leader, Who Says Industrial
Law VIII Bust When Allen Goes Out of Office
BY ". u. HIGGINS, JR.

(Son of Judge Huggins of Industrial Court
Reclined comfortably on a bed in
his room at the National hotel this
afternoon, sans shirt, sans shoes.
Alexander Howat, president of the
Kansas miners, discussed the indus
trial court law.
1T can't last" he said. when
Governor Aliens term of effice ex-
pires, the law will die. If not then
we'll kill it."
How long do you think it will
take?" I asked.
Howat hesitated-"Well--
Ten years-maybe less ?' 1 queried.
"Yes, it won't take ten years. A
law that forbids the right to strike,
takes from the laboring man his only
weapon of defense against unjust en-
ployers, is a direct violation of Ameri-
can liberty. I'm Scotch. 1t goes
against my blood. Besides. they have
MT the right kind of judges"
I pricked up my ears.
"Of course we object to the court
on the principle too, but the judges
are all prejudiced," he continued.
"All of them ?" I asked.
Eyes, every damn one of them.
Take Judge Higgins, for instance, a
corporation lawyer for the Santa Fe
all his life until he got this political
life. I know him. I've seen him,
talked with him-appeared before his
confounded court He's a politician.
and a CRATER" q tried to stop him
to say something in defense: bu.
new Judge, Crawford, a labor COM
missioner Hell! He's about as much
of a labor commissioner as L am q
profiteer Doesn't know the first
principle about labor troubles. I don't
know this man McDermott. I've heard
about him and that's all. 1 suppose
! +, Il I1n ct
Now YOU made some allegation
l began
sThen look at Allen-you ought to
know all about him, being in the
newspaper game.
"I sat in a big hall in New York,
and listened to his debate with Com
pers. He took me up one side and
down the other. Rallied at me. called
me every dirty. name he could think
Of only in polite language. 1 had to
! SIT THERE-couldn't say word
Say cleaning forward confidential
ly), there's a man that Is one -
- He's going to get caught
up one of these fine days. Watch
what tell you. oh. hell-it's rot
| ten outfit"
Alec leaned back in his chair-ex-
hausted.
Mr.. Howat, you've said some
| pretty strong things"
"Yes-and by crimy meant them
| "welI, look here" I said. ''You
said you were Scotch, and that unjust
treatment got your dander up. I'm
{ Scotch too. Did you ever hear of the
! Scotch name of Huggins? Gle looked
/ blank.) Well my name is Huggins-
! I'm a son of the presiding Judge of the
! court"
/ 1.-The hell you are"
! my dad came from Ohio when he
was 10 years old and worked on a
road gang out in western Kansas fol
a year, then went on a farm for five
| years Do you call that real honest
work? After teaching school for a
while, he entered a law office. and the
| business was his own. No corporation
! involved whatsoever. He did handle
few local cases for the Santa Fe
But he worked. understand. these
things didn't come to him. I think
road gangs, and farm hands work just
as hard, and just as honest as miners
/ What do you think about it ?"
/ please don't think I took a near
advantage of you on this interview.
didn't. Just wanted to get it straight
and confidentially what you thought
! of things"
"Say-is that girl that was up here
Reed was her name-is she daugh-