The Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 33, Ed. 1 Saturday, February 6, 1915 Page: 1 of 4
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Friendship improves our happiness
and abates our misery, by the doubling
of our joys, and the dividing of our
griefs.—Cicero.
VOL. VII.
THE OKLAHOMA LABOR UNIT
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1915
Liberty is the air of tb* soul, the
sunshine of life. Without It the world
is a prison, the universe a dungeon.—
Ingersoll.
ISO. 83.
SHIPPING, STEEL, AND MINING CORPORATIONS
Finance Opposition to Immigration Restriction
Authenic Docun its are in Evidence Which Show That the National Liberal Immigration League Which has
Conducts 'he Campaign to Oppose Restriction and Regulation of Immigration, has Been Financed by
Shipping Trust, the Coal Barons, the Steel Companies, and Other Corporations
•i 'j
— ———
tuc act repeated charges that have beeh made by organized lador's representatives, and
the oft RtrEAHU ^ylkc fmobihg immigsation lEHIICIHHI, me mtoveh
GOMPERS ANSWERS WILSON S
OBJECTION!!) ILLITERACY TEST
HOLDS THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF PRO-
TECTING AMERICAN LABOR IS TO PREVENT
THE IMPORTATION OF FOREIGN
PAUPER LABOR.
Washington, D. C—President Sam-
ue Gompers of the American Federa-
tion of Labor in replying to President
Wilson's objections to the immigra-
tion bill said in part:
"It is sincerely regrettable that the
President found it necessary to exer
cise his great constitutional peroga-
tive by vetoing the immigration bill
which passed both the Senate and
House by such overwheming votes,
more than two-thirds of each body. It
was hoped that with all the informa-
tion before the President and with the
history of the legislation since and
including 1898, he would have reached
the conclusion to give the bill his ap
proval.
"I have before me a copy of the
tion which the President interposes,
it should be understood that without
regard to that provision of the immi
gration bill, the existing law of the
United States does exactly what the
pending immigration bill emphasizes.
The President's objection is against
what is now law, even should the im-
migration bill fail to become law, and
in order to remove that objection, if
the immigation bill shall fail of enact-
ment, immediate steps thereafter
should be taken to repeal the law
which in principle the president .char-
acterizes as unjust and improper.
"For a moment I must again call at-
tention to what is generally appre
hended regarding immigration after
the close of the present terrible
nave ueiu.e u.o - ,E ean war. The nations engaged
Presidents veto message in which he ^ ^ undoubtedly, d0
gives his reasons for his inability to ,)ing wilh,n thelr power to keep
give the bill his approval. Of course, ^ slr and (h(j healthy men at
any utterance from so learned a man, They wlll do everything in
from a man whose heart and mind are I r t0 pncollrage the emigre-
to attuned to the people s welfare as Qf ^ weak of lncapacltated men,
are Honorable Woodrow Wilsons. as I nd thoge whos(, health is partiaHy
well as from a man ^vho' in ' undermined. Many will be glad to es-
occupies the great office of P^stdentl compulaory mimary. service, and
of the United States is deserving o . ^ ^ &u they can t0 get away {rom
greatest respect and consideration burdeng of taxation which will
And still, when a measure of such vital j from the war
importance is yet un^er consideration
^ i'A ml ni>Qir tirnora *
What the Story Tells
Trusts furnish money to National Liberal Immigration
League to finance campaigns against immigration legislation.
League affirms friendship for National Association o
Manufacturers. _
Hamburg-American Steamship line notified by cablegram
that League owes $7,000 and is liable to be sued and forced
into bankruptcy.
French steamship company urged to aid financing
tremendous agitation" against immigration legislation.
Steamship companies campaigned for the appointment of
Charles Nagel as Secretary of Commerce and Labor under
President Taft. Mr. Nagel is referred to as one "not likely to
favor legislation restricting immigration."
Hamburg-American Steamship official tells an associate that
"a number of delegations composed of members of various nation-
alities" were sent to Washington to oppose immigration legisla-
tion He says: "THE DELEGATES WERE NOT REALLY
CHOSEN BY BODIES OF THEIR OWN NATIONALITY.
It is stated that the campaign includes "visiting the societies of
various nationalities, as Italians, Hebrews, Hungarians, etc.,
including the unions, for the purpose of advocating libei al
immigration.
"We have to send appeals and communications to some
15,000 influential persons. MOST OF THEM CLERG\ MEN,
says the steamship official
National Liberal Immigration League, m another appeal
for financial aid, tells trust it is making possible "the influx of
alien unskilled labor," and if contributions are not received "we
will not be able to keep up our work."
MIGRATION BILL DISCUSSED
BEFORE PRESIDENT WILSON
HE HEARS ARGUMENT BY BOTH SIDES IN OPEN MMET-
TNG. THE A. F. OF L„ RAILROAD BROTHER-
HOODS. AND FARMERS ORGANIZATIONS,
PLEAD FOR THE LAW.
Washington, D. C.—It was an in- ] startling. He said this insanity could
teresting assembly tnat arranged It-'- • • - ■ ■ - —
self in a semi-circle around the na
be largely traced to the flood of aliens
arriving ever year.
Prof. Fairchild, or Yale university.
Insisted that the illiteracy test is
American and fair. He stated that
when this same bill was up for con-
and awaits final action by the Con-
gress of the United States, it becomes
the duty of citizens to express either
approbation or dissent, as their judg-
ment and experience warrant. In line
with this thought, I beg to submit for
your consideration some views which
are contained not only by me, but
which are generally entertained by
the people of our country.
The President gives two reasons
"And pray where will all these men
go? Surely they will not go from
their own country to other countries
now engaged in the struggle. They
will come, if they can, to America, and
come in such numbers as to over-
whelm the toilers already here, to de-
press their standard of life, and to
add to the already large number of
unemployed.
"The present is the time to make
Washington, D. C.—A sensation was
sprung in this city by the publication
of authentic documents, many of
which bear their own authenticity,
and others so circumstantially proven
that there is said to be no escape
from their purport. Among the docu-
migration League, who, in addition to
his salary, it is declared, became en-
tiled to twenty-five per cent of his suc-
cessful solicitations; correspondence
on official letterheads between Mr.
Behar, managing director of the Na-
tional Liberal Immigration League,
and Emil L. Boas, resident director
tion's chief executive, who gave close
attention to the worders' pleas for re-
striction and the oratorical flights of
"big business" representatives. The
battle was waged on the section of the
bill providing for a literacy test. I ,. ,, . , _
p sideration in previous Congresses,
Unions affliated to the A. F. of L.,
' Italy built school houses, in antlcipa-
the railroad brotherhoods and thej ' nassaee The school
farmers' organizations asked that thej ^ ' .
" , . , _ .. .. .. houses were abandoned when the bill
bll be signed. On the other side were ^
patriotic representatives of big bust-
ness," vote-hunting politicians from] Prof. Hoss, of Wisconsin university,
every party and those who opposed the that of all the tests that had been
bill for sentimental reasons. proposed to restrict immigration, the
,, i n one of illiteracy was the best.
Ex.-Congressman Bourke Cochran,
New York lawyer, and Congressman : Opponents of the bill showed much
Gallivan, of Massachusetts, led the alarm at the prospects of this country-
opposition. Their rounded sentences1 running short of labor. Many oppon-
and inspiring appeal for the Amerl-jents declared in favor of restriction,
can flag might well be termed classlcn but no' l'1'8 kind. None of them,
for school boys Such gems as this j however, even hinted at an effective
were common: "A constellation in the substitute. Among the other speak-
firmament of civilization." jers "gainst the bill were: Representa-
,, , , i, t j tlve Sahatli, Illinois; Goldfogle, New
Mr. Cochran indicated who he rep- ' ' .
, . . nna. work; J. Hampton Moore, Pennsylvan-
resented, however, when, in opposi- • 1 • J
' ... . . - ««i a, and Prof. Lamed, of the University
lion to the literacy test, he said: I , _ . ...
, ' -, . ... >1-,, of Pennsyvania; Oscar Villard, editon
believe a hand calloused with labor * ' ' ,
* . New York Evening Post, and several
should be a better passport.
nt gives IWO reaauiia , .
for his veto: One, that the bill em- provision against what will surely be-
bodies a radical departure from the j ''on.e a menace unlesB the law-s of
long-established policy for this conn- our country shall restrict and limit
try, and would close the gates of asy- and better regulate immigration,
lum which have always been open to j It ever the citizenship of the I nited
those who could find nowhere else the States has given indorsement to any
right and opportunity of agitation for measure of legislation, it has certain-
what they conceived to be the natural J ly done so to the principles embod-
. ,. 1.1 _ x _ _ o —.... ;n,l in 4lm tmrniffratinn hill TI n \V VlP.fore
and inalienable rights of man. Sec-
ond, that the bill provides for a lit-
eracy test.
In connection with the first objec-
COLLINS LECTURES
ON SOCIALISM
DECLARES SOCIALISTS ARE NOT
IN SYMPATHY WITH ORGAN-
IZED LABOR.
ied in the immigration bill now before
Congress.
"In the President's message he asks
the folowing question: 'Has any po-
itical party ever avowed a policy of
restriction in this fundamental mat-
ter.' The answer is found in the
Democratic and the Republican Na
tional platform declarations os far
back as 189G. The Democratic Na-
Itlonal Convention platform made the
I following declaration:
" 'We hold that the most efficient
I way of protecting American labor is
to prevent the importation of foreign
pauper labor to compete with it in the
home market.'
Peter W. Collins, formerly general "jn that same year, that is, in 1896,
secretary of the national electrical j the Repubican National Convention
workers organization, but who re- piatf0rm contained the following dec-
signed his position to fight Socialism, laration:
and who is accused by some to be in j .. 'por the protection of the quality
the employ of capitalistic interest, 0[ our American citizenship and of
delivered one of his lectures at the ,),e w ages of our working men against
auditorium here last Sunday after the fatal competition of low-priced la-
noon under the auspices of the bor we demand that the immigration
Knights of Columbus. laws be thoroughly enforced and so
The economic side of socialism, as ; extended as to exclude from entrance
outlined in socialistic propaganda, to the United States those who can
was the principal subject of discus- neither read nor write.'
sion. Collins declared that the so- "And, as you know, the candidates
cialist leaders are antagonistic to la for President and Vice President of
bor unions and that their national the United States nominated upon the
platform contains adverse declarations platform containing this declaration
of principles. were elected."
"No man can believe in the articles
of any Christian faith and be
irom ineir yurpuiu auiuub — —
ments are letters and appeals from and general manager of the Hamburg
the officers of the National Liberal American Line, 45 Broadway, New
Immigration League to corporations York City, and J. Pannes, the St.
for funds and "subventions;" letters Louis representative of the company,
from the officers of the Liberal Immi- j in the campaign to make Charles Na-
gration League to shipping companies j gel the Secretary of the Department
of Germany and of France; cable- of Commerce and Labor in President
gram appeal for funds by Mr. Behar, j Taft's cabinet, whose campaign was
managing director of the National i conducted upon the platform that he
Liberal Immigration League, and a' was an anti-immigration restriction-
carbon copy of letter to the same com- ist; the documents also expose the
pany confirming the cablegram; fin-j fake of the delegations representing
ancial statement of the receipts of their own nationalities, for as one of-
the National Liberal Immigration J flcial informs his associate that "the
League showing that $15,000 was paid delegates were not really chosen by
as an annuity for the conduct of the • bodies of their own nationality."
campaign against protection of Amer- In view of the immigration bill now
ica's workers from stimulated immi- before Congress for a vote over the
gration; letters from Mr. Behar, man- President's veto, the means by which
aging director of League, to Messrs. the National Liberal Immigration
Japhot and Sagot, Companie Generale League financed its campaign by con-
Transatlantique, Rue Auber, Paris, tributions from the corporations most
France, and the reply of Mr. Rene hostile to the Interests of America's
Sagot; appeals by B. A. Sekely, field workers is both timely and of great
secretary of the National Liberal Im-| import.
HOSPITAL BILL PASSED BY THE LOWER HOUSE
The hospital bill introduced in the! pital facilities within the state. Con-
house of representatives by Childers trary to general belief the bill does
of Garfield county, and Hunter of not require railroads to build or own
Choctaw County, was passed by that hospitals. By the terms of the bill
body last Saturday although it was the railroads may contract with any
vigorously opposed by Bill Durant of, hospital in the state for the facilities
Bryan County. Bill slung that same called for by the bill.
old stuff he has been using against yote on the bill in the house was as
Former Lieut. Gov. Whitman told
the President he represented Tam
many, and that that organization was
opposed to the bill.
Charles Edward Russell, magazine
writer and lecturer, said "one million
Socialists" oppose the bill, which, he
declared, was "unsound and could
not be enforced."
Secretary Morrison, of the A. F. of
L., diplomatically called attention to
the opposition of some associations
"that depend for existence for contri-
butions from the employing class."
I In referring to the $60,000,000 annual
' income of steamship companies, he
I said "tills will account in a great meas-
i ure for the opposition of socities of
[various nationalities composed wholly
1 or partly of business men and the at-
torneys of business men," whoa
representatives of foreign fraternal,
and other organizations.
FAVOR DAY WORK PRINCIPLE.
Boston, Mass.—A delegation of
unionists called on Governor Walsh
and asked him to favor the day labor
principle in the construction of a big
dry dock to be built in this city. The
workers favor the state building the
dry dock directly instead of letting
the work out to contractors.
SAFETY SUITS STARTED.
Toledo, Ohio.—United States Of-
ficials have started action in the fed-
eral court against the Detroit, Toledo
& Ironton railway and the Cleveland,
tUI 1ICJO v/1 ""
freight charges might be increased to Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis rail
meet the companies' deficit if Immi i way for violating the United States
oration was restricted. The unionist j safety appliance act.
! presented organized labor's position ,
and showed, by tilt
?stigators, that work-
hen they state that
re beating down the
of American wage
follows
this hill for the last three sessions of
the legislature. For t)ie Dill—Abney, Baker, Barry,
He declared that the hospital bill r)oveei Brown, Bryant, Cartwright,
yas not demanded by the empoyes of cagj)i Childers, Clark, Cox. Crawford,
the railroads, but the idea of passing pavis, Dickerson, Disney, Drake,
such a law he said, "originated in the nilffy, Dunn, Everhart, Fitzgerald,
fertile brains of professional agitators (-;arneri Glasco, Goodwin, Haile, Uar-
who have hung around the legislature riBOn (Hughes), Harrison (Seminole),
like vltures eve-- since statehood." Hendon. Hensley, Hill (Roger Mills),
Durant is supposed to be the czar Hill (Washita). Holmes, udson, Hunt-
of the house and a lot of people think er (Choctaw), Hunter (Comanche-Cot-
if Durant is for a thing it wo go over, ton), Ingham, Jackson, Johnson, Kirk-
but most of the members of the house patr'ick, Long, McCance. McCollister.
are onto him when a question of rail- MeKeown, McLemore. Marsh, Moore,
road legislation Is up for considera Murray, Nesbitt, North, Norton, Peeb-
tion. His motion to recommit the bill ly. Powell, Pritchett, Pullen, Ramsey,
to the committee for further consld- Reigner, Simpson, Sitton, Taylor,
oration was promptly voted down ami Thurmond, Treadway, Walden, Wald-
Every body is looking at the map of ^ fcv a ]arpe majorlty. rePi Wolch, Wilkes, Williams, ^oung.
cialist," Collins declared. "Socialism Europe at this time. Renew your sub-j rp(luireR that rail \gainst the Bill-Council, Durant,
and Christianity are entirely an,ago- scription to the Unltandaet hree The ™slrapIvy 'ZlZoTov are Eaton Ewing, Howe, Ladd. Lemon,
nostic. Socialism derides any of the maps, one of them the latest published | roa^Is ^'ch Morgan. Plnkham, Rol-
cfaHy1 'chri'sti'anIty."°' reli8'°n' ^ Zl^ Sn Sam, Smith. Speak,, McCror,
m this question
testimony of inv
era are correct
Ignorant aliens
living standard
earners.
The president gave two and one-half
hours to the hearing, which was di-
vided between the two forces. Sec-
retary Morrison had charge of the
time for friends of the hill.
J. II. Patten, representing the three
farmers' organizations, comprising
millions of members, presented reso-
utlons passed by national and state
conventions in favor of the bill. 1 he
speaker denied the claim that farmers
desire the sort of Immigrants the bill
lis intended to exclude. Ho protested
1 against the "Russianizing" of Ameri-
can labor because of the influx of og-
norant aliens.
William M. Clark, vice president of
the Order of Railroad Conductors,
spoke on behalf of the railroad broth
erhoods, representing 350,000 workers
. who favor the bill.
Dr. Stewart Paton, of New York, on
i behalf of various organizations, alien-
! ists and state boards of health, said
that three-fourths of the insanity in
certain sections of the country is the
result of illiterate Immigration. He
said the cost of maintaining them Is
greater than the cost of our common
ichool education. Ills figures were
PROTECT PATIENTS
AGAINST SURGEON
WOULD STOP NEFARIOUS PRAC-
TICE OF TAKING ADVANTAGE
OF THOSE IN THEIR CARE.
Physicians and surgeons are pro-
hibited from taking any statements
for the use of any corporation from
patients upon whom they are about
to operate under the terms of a bill
by Judge J. T. Dickerson of Okla-
homa county which was adopted in
house committee of the whole this
week.
The object of the bill as explained
by Mr. Dickerson is to separate the
claim anil medical service depart-
ments of corporations and prevent
surgeons from securing statements
from Injured patients upon whom
they are about to operate.
One of the practices of many sur-
goons of corporations is to refuse to
give injured persons medical attention
until they had obtained a statement
from them concerning the manner In
which they were injured, which in
\ ariablv are used against them in
trials for damages in the courts.
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Zeigler, C. C. The Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 33, Ed. 1 Saturday, February 6, 1915, newspaper, February 6, 1915; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc157236/m1/1/: accessed March 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.