Ogden Daily Standard | 1920-01-20 | Page 8 | Gompers Defended by Republican Senator

Gompers Defended by Republican Senator i i NEW YORK, Jan. 20. Replying in, tho senate today o the recent crlti-cism crlti-cism of his anti-sedition bill by Sam-J uel Gompers, president of the Amerl can Federation of Labor, Senator Ster ! ling, Republican, South Dakota, ! charged Mr. Gotllpers with mlsrepre-senting mlsrepre-senting the purposes of the measure" and with seeking the favor of the extreme ex-treme radicals in organized labor. j Mr. Gompers was defended by Senator Sena-tor Norris, Republican, Nebraska, i who praised his loyalty and said his criticism of the bill was justified. Senator Sterling said it seemed to) him that Mr. Gompers "has other busi-l ness on hand that might engage his ! attention" at present without purposely purpose-ly misinterpreting the bill. "When Mr. Gompers or anybody else says that he is opposed to a law wliich would prevent the advocacy of the ) overthrow of government by force or violence," said Mr. Sterling. "Mr. ! Gompers or whoever it may be, It, seems to me, puts himself in a position posi-tion where his loyalty to the government govern-ment might well be questioned." Senator Owen, Democrat, Oklaho-'ma, Oklaho-'ma, said the house anti-sedition bill contained a "joker" by which anyone ' who advocated the prohibition or) woman suffrage amendments would be subject to penalties, adding that the house measure was "dangerous in tho highest degree." Senator Norris said he thought It came "with poor grace," for Senator Sterling to question the loyalty of Mr. Gompers. Declaring that he "held no brief for the labor leader. Senator il i mm l jjmjuuju.T'C nearm j 1 1. 1 1 1 imm m- Norris said Mr. Gompers was loyal to the last degree as he had demonstrated demonstrat-ed during the war. The Nebraska senator added that tho anti-seu:-ion bill gave too much power to government officials and that Mr. Gompers' criticism was justified. justi-fied. oo