| Show LAW LAWIS IS DISREGARDED Samuel S i muel Gompers Outspoken in Criticizing Conditions o on n the Isthmus OUTRAGEOUS AND BRUTAL CHAIRMAN CHAI PLACED IN BAD LIGHT Washington Aug 11 Samuel Gompers Gom Gompers pers president of the American Feder Federation Federation Federation of Labor today t day issued a state statement statement statement ment concerning the action of the isthmian isthmian isthmian mian canal commission in deciding to introduce intro uce Chinese coolie labor to the work vork of constructing the canal across the Isthmus of Panama The statement is as follows It seems that those in charge of the Panama canal construction have regard for neither law lap nor not principle First in inthe inthe inthe the most extraordinary manner the law is annulled in the greatest great greatest greatest est public work ever undertaken by the government under the pretense pr tense that conditions there are different than they are in the United States It must ap appeal appeal appeal peal to the t e tyro that if eight hours work s regarded as sufficient in inthe inthe inthe the comparatively temperate zone of the States certainly ten eleven and even more hours of labor a day in the pestilential and miasmatic at atmosphere atmosphere atmosphere of the Panama zone are not only improper but outrageous and brutal The existing law excludes Chinese laborers and coolies from the United States or any of its possessions The Panama canal zone is an American possession pos possession possessIon session and it is as much a violation vi lation of the law to bring Chinese coolies there as it is in other portions of our country Some time ago in an interview I had with Chairman I protested against the employment of Chinese coolies in the tho Panama canal construction construction construction tion as ns has hns been published in the newspapers news newspapers papers it was the intention of Mr honts to do He there and then em emphatically emphatically emphatically stated that it was not the intention hen Ihen I to employ Chinese cool coolies coolies coolies ies and they the would not be employed under his administration |
