The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-23
COLONIZATION BILL
 IS GIVEN APPROVAL OF LABOR CHIEFS
Measure Would LegaIize Right to Organize All Fields De- spite Contracts Between
 Employers and Men
By Associated Press

Washington, February 2.-ApprovaI was given today by international labor union heads and thier attorneys to Na tentative draft of bill to legalize the right of labor unions to organize all fields of industry despite individual con- tracts between employers and employees pr rohibiting union membership.
 The bill, is designed to offset the effect of the United States supreme court decision in the Hitchman Coal and Coke company case, upholding the val idity of these individual contracts. will be submitted at once to the executive council of the American Federation of Labor for final approval.
 The union heads also instructed their counsel to ascertain if it would be pos sble to ask for a rehearing of the case of the Duplex Printing Press company against the International Association of Machinists in which the United states supreme court handed down decision declaring secondary boycott by labor unions illegal. The attorneys were direct ed to proceed with their application un- less the time limit allowed by the court expired. The Hitchman decision, which also made labor unions liable to monitary damages if any emplove joined union organization in violation of his contract l which stipulated that he would not join any labor organization, was handed down | by the supreme court in 1918. THOSE INTERESTED l International unions which have joined l in the fight to have the individual con tracts declared illegal and make union ization of such workers possible are the United Mine Workers of America, the Moulders' union. the Amalgamated Union of Steel and Iron Workers. the lnterna- tional Association of Machinists Their heads were called in conference here by Samuel Gompers. president of the Amer
 ican Federation of Labor and today's ac' | tion is believed to be one of the open
 ing wedges ir the proposed programme oi
 the federation to counter anti-union leg l islation and the "open shop 1 John l.. Lewis. president of the Mine | Workers in addressing the conference declared that the Hitcllman decision hae | been a "great menace to organized labor" and a great handicap to the mine workers organization in unionizing th' West Virginia coal fields.
 l Upon these so-called yellow dog con tracts. legalized by the Hitchman de cision." MT. Lewis said. the operators had gone into the courts and obtained Injunctions preventing organization oi their employees"
 BILL OF RIGHTS
 The executive council of the American Federation of Labor also was in confer ence here all day. preparing a bill O lrights and programme to be submitted t' the special meeting Of representatives O national and international unions called to open tomorrow at the federation lheaduuarters.
 No announcement was made concerninl the councils plans but it was under
 stood that recommendations would b
 made at tomorrows meeting setting fort lunion organizations and combat tn
 "open shop' movement. Wage reduc ttions. anti-strike laws. compulsory arbi
 tration and labor injunctions also will b considered.
 Publicity and other methods of ou opponents will be considered in tomof rows conference. Frank Morrison. sec retarv of the federation. said. and labo , will take such steps as may be foun necessary to protect it's interests
 Union leaders indicated tonight tha they may take the offensive.
 A comprehensive programme of pro
 posed labor legislation to be submitte to the next Congress also has been pre- pared. it was learned. and some action l this regard will probably be taken tc
 morrow after presentation of a report the executive committee.
 More than 200 representatives of the va [ lrious unions of the federation throuo,
 the country are expected to attend th i conference over which President Gonper