The Connecticut labor news., 1921-09-09
LAWS ARE MISUSED AGAINST WORKERS,
 A.F.L. BOARD SAYS
Searching Inquiry Ordered With View to Correcting Grave
 Dangers and Evils"

Washington, Sept 9.-Rights, privi- leges and opportunities equal to those granted the corporate interests are to be demanded by the wage earners of the United States, announced the Executive Council of the American Federation of Labor in quarterly session in Atlantic City last week. It was voted to begin searching inquiry with a view to de- vising comprehensive plan for the cor rection of grave dangers and great evils that have fastened themselves like bar naCles upon our people"
 Organized labor" says the declara- tlOn, intends to remove the smoke screen that has been raised to place into secur- lty those interests whose profits are en- larged when the peoples suffering IS in creased-whose rights and powers are extended when the liberties and rights of the people are curtailed."
 The council declared that the conspir- acy and anti-combination laws are mis- used against the workers and in behalf of the corporate interests, and that the judiciary departments of both Federal and State governments have seriously impaired the constitutional rights of the workers, and characterized some of their decisions, including those of the United States Supreme Court, as narrow, strained and class-biased interpretations" !"
 An appeal is made to the citizens of America for the defeat of the Nelson bill, passed by the Senate and now pending in the House. which is described to be "the most subtle and pernicious attack yet made in the history of our land upon the constitutional safeguards of the rights and liberties of our peo- pie"
 The bill gives the right and oppor- tunity to any judge in a Federal dis trict to issue a warrant for the arrest of an indicted person who may live i'll a far distant State and transport him to the place of indictment and trial without giving him the opportunity of a hearing on the probable cause upon which the indictment or complaint is grounded before being removed from the district of his domicile.
 In other words,' the bill has for \its objective the revival of legalized kid naping and the taking of the heart out of the writ of habeas corpus, one of the great writs wrested by the people from the kings and the autocratic ruling class for the safety and protection of the lib- critics of the people.
 1t is inconceivable," says the coun- cil's declaration, that the rights and lib- critics of American freedom shall be left to the complete and exclusive mercy of judges clothed with extraordinary power. We are driving altogether too rapidly toward judicial autocracy."
 During the week MT. Gompers made public the correspondence had with Pres ident Harding on the request that rep resentative of labor be named on the disarmament commission. President Harding stated that he was "favorably impressed" with the suggestion.
 In a closing address to the council, President Gompers called upon wage workers everywhere to resist wage cuts, saying:
 We cannot successfully resist every effer of reduction of wages, but it is bet ter to resist and lose or compromise than not to resist at all, because if you don't resist you encourage the employer to cut again and give the idea to him that you can't and won't resist"
 The council forwarded a cablegram to Prime Minister Lloyd George urg- ing him to continue the truce with the Irish republic until after the forthcom- ing disarmament conference in Wash ington, no matter what the outcome of the present peace negotiations with the Irish republican leaders The prime minister was also told that American labor supported the Irish people in their fight for freedom.
 State and Federal governments are urged by the council to devise extensive plans for public improvements as means of preventing the unemployment situation from becoming more acute.
 Despite the numerous and, in many in- stances, unwarrantable demands for pro- duction and more production on the part of labor" reads the declaration, ''the fact remains that the cause of unem- poyment Is due to nonproduction on the part of employers, and the constant and persistent efforts being made to lessen the ability of the great mass of the people-the wage carners of our land to purchase commodities and necessities of life"
 As matter of fact, the council points out, the recent campaign for the reduc- tion of wages has not reflected itself proportionately in the lowering of prices. On the contrary, prices and the cost of living are increasing. The only thing accomplished in our production processes.