The New York herald., 1922-03-02
GOMPERS .ASSAILS
ANTI-STRIKE BILL
Asserts Buell-Miller Measure
at Albany Would Institute
Group Slavery.

ALBANY, March Legislators sitting
at a stormy five hour hearing on the
Buell. Miller anti-strike and compulsory
arbitration bill to-day heard Samuel
Gompers, chief spokesman for organized
labor. describe the measure as a plan
to institute group slavery and a
scheme ito confine the aspirations Of
the workingman for better life into a
l. galistic straitjacket"
Later they heard members of the New
York City Board of Trade and Trans
portation picture the bill. as "the road to
industrial peace" and the means OF
sending the strike to the junk heap"
The hearing took place in the Assem-
bly, chamber before the joint legislative
committees on labor and industry. Hun
dceds of representatives of labor organ
izations from all parts of the State
crowded the chamber. All wore white
L.acards bearing the word Protest
Repeated bursts Of applause followed
every derogatory utterance by Mr.. Com
pers and other speakers who presented
labor's arguments against the bill. Cat
calls. misses and in one instance a shout
Throw him out" greeted the arguments
of the supporters OF the bill.
Joined I'm Opposition.
Henry d. Sayer. State Industrial Com
missioner, and Mark A. Daily, represent
ing the Associated Industries, Inc, were
others who joined with labor delegations
in opposing what they termed the COM
pulsory features of the measure.
ra n ofafo RI the committee that the
bill did not originate with the State De-
partment of Labor" said Mr.. Saver.
1--WE are opposed to compulsory arpitra-
tion."
William McCarroll of the New York
City Board of Trade and Transpor ia tion
asserted the measure simply would SUI
NIT Industrial disputes to adjudication.
1--WE do not come here with any pa
rade or crowd said Mr.. McCarroli. I'VE
do not believe the Legislature Will be
impressed by the clamor of a crowd. We
come in a full spirit of amity. not with
any contentious"
This bill would reduce strikes to the
vanishing point" he asserted 'ater IN
arguing that it would thus effect q
great economic saving to the worker as
well as to the employer.
Mr. Gompers deplored the extent OF
space given in newspapers to headlines
scandals. murders and similar news,
while, he asserted, news giving labors
side Of the question was slighted.
"And now" he asserted, "the pro-
posers of this legislation seek to i'm
pose slavery on the white man. But
the fact of the matter is, I say to you
gentlemen of this committee. the people
Of this State are determined that such
legislation won't GO.
Gompers Makes Prediction.
II doubt IL this Legislature will enact
any such law. But suppose you doP
Suppose some other Legislature does
Is the threat of putting them in jail
going to keep the workers from aspiring
to a better life? No."
'.If you make this law" he continued,
people will have as much contempt for
it as they generally have now for law
on the Federal statutes.
Legislation OF this character may be
well termed as intended to confine the
aspirations of the working man for a
better life in a legislative strait jacket.
''If there is law passed 10 compel
laSoring men to work. asserted MI.
Gompers, sit won't take much OF an
amendment to make YOU all work"
Mr. MclafToli. y raHh II. lldlSH anu
Benjamin Schoen of the Schoen Printing
Company appeared for the bill.
w. E. Remington, who told the COM
mittee he was an economist. of New
York city made the final plea for the
measure. Mr.. Remington was once in
terrupted with a shout of Throw him
out!"
.The strike must be done away with"
he said This bill would be the means
of sending 1t to the junk heap"