The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1921-02-04
STATE
CONSTABULARY
Labor Well Represented At
Hearing on Bill in COlum-
bus Last Thursday
Night
Nine Representatives Of
Hamilton Labor Attend
ed the Hearing


Thursday evening, January q, a
public hearing was held in the house
of representatives, at Columbus, be-
fore the house committee on military
affairs, on house bill No. 16, by Mr.
Harding, providing for the creation of
a department of rural state police.
This bill is known to organized labor
as the constabulary bill.
Organized labor of Ohio was we'll
represented at the hearing by mem
bers from all parts or the state to the
number of about 500, who packed the
galleries, floor and corridors in and
about the house of representatives.
1t was possibly the largest represen-
tation of labor in Columbus upon any
legislative measure in years.
The hearing began at 7 o'clock and
ended at 11:45, those advocating the
bill being heard first and then those
opposed. The committee changed the
usual procedure in hearings on bills
and permitted the proponents of the
bill to have the closing argument
which was presented by representa-
tive of the Pennsylvania state con-
stabulary.
Speaking for the bill were the fol
lowing: H. N. Ensign, D. E. Hill, S.
NJ. Jennings, Mrs. A. F. Westgate,
W. H. Asberry, Dr. H. II. Goddard,
S. A Roach, Ralph Jordan, Albert
Vaughn, Capt. c. J. Scavardo, Mich
igan state constabulary; Capt. George
f. Dutton, New York state constabu-
larry; and Capt L. G. Adams, Penn
sylvania state constabulary
Those speaking against the bill were
David Williams, secretary treasurer
State Lodge of machinists, Allentown
Pa; G. w. Savage, secretary-t
urer United Mine Workers of Ohio,
Columbus, Ohio; John p Frey, editor
Iron Molders' Journal, Cincinnati
Ohio; Capt. Percy Tetlow, United
Mine Workers of America, Salem,
Ohio; and James H. Maurer, president
Pennsylvania Federation of Labor,
Harrisburg, Pa.
No new arguments were presented
upon behalf of the bin by its advo-
Gates, the same old camoufage being
presented by speakers brought to
Columbus by the propagandists for
this legislation The interests behind
this bill had three state constabularies
represented by speakers, all of whom
had no doubt journeyed to Columbus
from distant and neighboring states
to speak in favor of thls kind of legis-
lation, presumably for the protection
of the farmers and offered to them as
a gift. Our farmer friends should
beware of Greeks bearing gifts"
Labor was adequately and ably rep
resented by speakers. Brothers Maur-
er and Williams portrayed dramatic
ally labor conditions under the Penn
sylvania constabulary Brother Saw
age made a telling argument against
the bill and Brothers John p Frey
and Capt Percy 1etlow made dis,
tinct and favorable Impression upon the
members of the military affairs COM
mittee and the members of the house
present.
The pertinent question was again
asked during the progress of the hear
ing as to who was paying for all of
the propaganda in the way of expen-
sive printing, letter writing, etc, and
also who was paying the expenses of
the gentlemen managing the campaign
for this bill and bringing to Ohio
members of the different state con-
stabularies. AS usual, this question
remains unanswered though it is
common knowledge that the farmers
have not and are not contributing one
penny to this campaign, and are not
very much interested in it.
Organized labor, through Thomas j.
Donnelly, secretary treasurer of the
Ohio State Federation of Labor, made
known to the committee on military
affairs, after the proponents of the
bill refused to state who was paying
their expenses, that the Ohio State
Federation of Labor was paying the
expenses of Messrs. Maurer and Will
liams.
The bill is now in the hands of the
committee, and in the next few days
some action will be taken by it, either
reporting the bill favorably or un-
favorably to the house of representa-
tives.
Hamilton organized labor was well
represented at the hearing Friday
night. Those who attended from here
were: Louis Nau, A E. Eggleston
and Edward Weiss, of Trades Coun-
ell; VIM. House and Jack Dedrick, fo1
plumbers; Chas. Chaplin and Herman
Perpingon, for carpenters; Walter
Furrey, for iron molders 68, and Les
lie SPECIAL, street car employees.