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Show "1.AB0R 10 FIGHT BILL RBPDRTED ; BTf JUEWLANDS Samuel Gompers Declares Involuntary Servitude Cannot Be Enforced Under Constitution. t By International N'e-ws Service. WASHINGTON', Dec. .16. It was made known at the headquarters of the American Federation of Labor today that organized labor of the United States will fight to the limit the administration admin-istration arbitration bill reported by the senate committee on interstate com-J com-J 0merce. Senator XewlandB is chairman of the committee. . The portion of the bill -which axonses the bitterest opposition from labor is section 13, which follows: "Pending the efforts of the board of mediation and conciliation to Bottle the controversy through mediation or conciliation con-ciliation or by arbitration, or, where those means have failed, pending the investigation and publication of the report re-port of the board of inquiry, and for thirty days thereafter, it shall bo unlawful un-lawful for the employees to declare or canse or practice a strike, or for the j employer to declare or practice a lock out. j Penalty for Violation. ' "Any employer or officer or agent thereof violating this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than $:o,000 or imprisoned for more than one year or both, in the discretion discre-tion of the court. Any employee violating violat-ing this section, or any officer or agent of any organization of employees violating vio-lating this section, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon con-iction, con-iction, shall be fined not more than $1000 or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both, in tho discretion of the court. "Any person inciting, influencing or in any manner aiding any employer or employee to violate this section shall he deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction, shall be subject to the same punishment as the employer or employee as the case may be.'' View of Gompers. Samuel (rompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, would not discuss tho bill as finally drafted, hut pointed to a statement he made Hy several days ago expressing emphatic T. condemnation of every form of auti-strike auti-strike legislation. lie said at that time: - "Involuntary service cannot be en-, en-, forced under "the constitution of the United fitatos. " A virtual demand that congress pass the administration railroad bills as rapidly rap-idly as possible was indicated in the sltitndo today of Congressman Claude Kitchin, Democratic house leader, and Congressman Adamson, chairman of the house committee on interstate commerce. com-merce. Both will oppose any attompt bv the senate fo have an extra session if the bills are not passed before March 4. As p liampions of the administration, tho two congressmen maintained that i it might be more difficult to paas the j bills in the next eongress. the political j complexion of which is still doubtful, than during the present terfii. "The senate haa plenty of. time to pass the bills. ' ' said Congressman K itch in. (i There n re nearly three months left. If tho senate passes them the house will do its part." The declaration came in answer to a statement last night by Senator New-lands New-lands that there would be an extra ses sion after March 4 if congress does not pass the railroad bills before that time. A resolution designed to continue until un-til January, 1918, the Newlands. joint congressional committee investigating general railroad conditions, was introduced intro-duced in the house today by Mr. Adam-son. Adam-son. Under the original authorization the committee is to make its report and pass out of existence next month. The resolution provides also an increase from $24,000 to $40,000 in the appropriation for the investigation and for the retention reten-tion of Representative Cullop of Indiana as a member. Mr, Cullop 's term expires ex-pires March 4. |