Evening star., 1936-10-28
Text of Landon's Speech
Candidate Pledges Protection of Labor and Says
Right to Organize Should Be
Encouraged.

the cause OF organized LABOR lay IN
his genius in recognizing that the
situation Of the workingman in
this country Is different from that
of labor in the Old World. In
most European nations labor has
become a class apart. In America
labor always has been merged in
the Nation as whole.
Labor in this country has pro-
gressed by following the Gompers
policy Of keeping free from en-
tanglement with any political
group. That policy more than
anything else is responsible for the
steady advance it has made. In
the United States real wages have
constantly increased, but at the
same time labor has retained its
freedom. More than that, it has
won general recognition Of its
right to freedom of action.
Vote Cannot Be Delivered.
We are witnessing in this coun.
try today an effort to introduce
into the camp of American labor
the European system of political
alliances which invariably victim
ICES labor. In trying times leaders
always arise who claim they can
deliver the labor vote to one politi-
cal camp or the other. Back in 1904
even Mr.. Gompers himself was &C.
cused Of belonging to this class.
The cry was raised: "Gompers has
promised to deliver the labor vote"
Years later, when writing the story
Of his life. he made reply. / quote:
Il knew full well that could not
deliver the labor vote nor did I
make any such promise or pretense.
1t was simply absurd for any one
to charge that had in mind either
the desire or the will or the ability
to deliver the labor vote.
To meet that unjust criticism
and attack I frequently declared
upon the public platform as well as
in conferences and writings that I
had not the power to deliver the
vote OF any man. The only vote
which I controlled yas my own"
Mr.. Gompers spoke truly. No one
can deliver the labor vote of Amer
lea to any one political party. No
one can deliver the farm vote of
America to any one political party.
No one can deliver any other class
vote in America to any one political
party.
Why? Because there are no
classes in America. We are one
nation and one people. We are
q nation of individuals and OF
free men. As free men we may
differ in our opinions on national
affairs. But we are one people,
however much we may differ.
Sowing Seed Of Destruction.
That is the unique feature Of
our American system. ANY one
who claims to be able to deliver
or strives to deliver any part Of
the American people to q political
master is betraying the creed Of
America. Such q person Is sowing
the seeds of destruction for all of
us. He threatens to destroy the
one CLASHES nation in q world
divided by class hatred and over
shadowed by the tregedy of dis
union.
Let us stand in the future. as in \
the past, q united people, q united
Nation!
Now. in conclusion, want to
discuss another matter of deep
concern to labor.
have been frankly exposing
the inadequacies, the inequalities,
the dangers, and the disappoint-
ments inherent in the compulsory
insurance programs of the New
Deal. At the same time I have
been offering in its stead q prac-
tical and a constructive program
of real security.
The present administration claims
that the burdens Of the social Sc
curity act fall mainly upon the
employers. The real facts are that
they fall almost entirely on the
workers. They must pay twice:
once directly when the tax Is de-
Quoted from their pay envelopes in
increasing amounts until 1t reaches
3 per cent. They must pay again
indirectly in reduced employment,
higher prices or lower wages. These
inevitably must result from the
per cent pay roll taxes on their
employers, who must pass on these
increased costs to the public in one
form or another.
Half Are Excluded.
I have already pointed out that
about half Of our workers, those
engaged in agriculture, household
work and the like, are excluded
from the benefits of the act; that
this Is the largest tax measure in
our history; that the younger work
ers are forced to carry q dispro-
portionately higher share of the
burden than the older workers, and
that Federal bureaucrats will check
and recheck every pay envelope
and every shift Of jobs Of every man
and woman covered by the act.
have also shown that the act
does not set up . true insurance
plan; that the taxes collected are
not held in any savings or reserve
fund Is claimed. Instead they are
diverted into Government bonds,
] o US.
When payments become due they
must be currently authorized by
Congress and newly financed. The