Evening star., 1936-07-30
.LAND0N UPHOLDS
LAB0R'S RIGHT TO
! ORGANIZE At WILL
Governor Clarifies Position
in Reply to Letter From
Norman Thomas.
FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY
AND FREE SPEECH URGED
Declares Workers Have Right to
Unite Without Interference
From Any One.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
TOPEKA, Kans., July 30.-Gov. ALT
M. Landon wrote Norman Thomas to-
day that labor unions have the right
"to promote by lawful and proper
means the organization OF an unor-
ganized industry, which includes the
right to send in an organizer"
The Republican nominees letter was
in reply to a communication from the
Socialist candidate for President in
which Thomas asked for an elabora-
ton Of Landons acceptance speech
statement that employe freedom from
coercion means as l read 1t. entire
freedom from coercion or intimida-
ton by the employer. any fellow en-
ploye or any other person"
Governors Position.
"In my statement which you quote,
Iandon wrote, there is nothing to
suggest that I am in favor of infring-
ing in any way on the right of free
speech or free assembly.
II am opposed to any such infringe
ment. The workers have the right to
meet among themselves or with others
of their own choice to promote Or
ganization, with complete freedom
from any one whatsoever. The workers
should be fully protected in this right
by the public authorities"
Refers to Kansas Strike.
In his letter to Thomas, Landon re-
ferred to lead and zinc mine strike
In Kansas of June and July, 1885.
Il acceded to request, Jointly pre-
ferred by the sheriff and prosecuting
attorney of Cherokee County that ]
send troops to maintain order" Lam
don said. II instructed the troops
through the adjutant general of
Kansas to maintain order. to disarm
all armed civilians, including the
armed guards employed by the smelter
and mine operators, and those that
may have been armed on behalf of
the labor groups.
THE troops, however, were directed
not to interfere with labor meetings
and other activities of the strikers, so
long as they were peaceably con-
Quoted. This included picketing, and
both meeting and pickets were pro-
tected from possible violence of any
kind.
My action in this instance pro-
tected the workers in the right of free
speech and free assembly"
(The strike referred to was known
rs the tri-State strike. Parts of the
area included were in Kansas, Mis-
souri, and Oklahoma.)
Landon's letter was given out at his
morning press conference. 1t was
dated July % and addressed to
Thomas in New York City.
Text of Letter.
The letter as given out here was as
follows:
Dear Mr. Thomas:
IT have received your letter of July
"a and its courtesy and candor merit
an answer in the same spirit, al
though, as you say, it is rather un-
usual to discuss questions of this ma
ture in a personal letter.
You have asked for further COM
ment on the statement in my accept
ance speech that says: Under all
circumstances. so states the Republic
can platform, employees are to be free
from interference from any source,
which means, as I read it, entire free
dom from coercion or intimidation by
the employer, any fellow employe or
any other person.
In your letter you state: The his
tory of the American labor movement
shows that repeatedly employers or
ganizations like the National Manu-
facturers Association have used the
phrase-free from interference from
any source-to mean a denial of the
right of labor union, or labor unions,
actively to promote the organization
Of an unorganized factory or an un-
organized industry. 1t is absurd to
(See LANDON, Page A.