Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 76, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1920 — ANTISTRIKE BILL PASSES SENATE [ARTICLE]

ANTISTRIKE BILL PASSES SENATE

Adopts Poindexter Measure Making Rail Traffic Interference a Felony. NO DEBATE OR RECORD VOTE M «Mur« Reported Durlno Routine Conelderetion of Regular Calendar, With Only a Small Pkrxent- - age of Member* In Seat*. Washington, Dec. it.—The p ® ,nd **' ter antlatrlke bill waa passed by the senate without debate or a reCora vote. The measure, which now goes to the house, provides that InteitßT" encea with Interstate commerce shall be a felony. ~ Penalties for combinations Interfering with Interstate commerce, either by agreements between operatives or those of employers, are provided by the bill, which wns Introduced by the senator from Washington following elimination of the antlatrlke provisions from the Transportation act when It was pending In conference. The Poindexter bill was reported during routine consideration of the regular senate calendar, with only a small percentage of senators In their seats. No senator objected to Its consideration. Penalties Named in Bill. The bill is limited In Its application to common carriers under the transportation act. It provides a fine of SIO,OOO and ten years’ Imprisonment for persons who, “with Intent to obstruct, delay, hinder or prevent the movement of the commodities In commerce . . . shall, by word of mouth or by presentation, exhibition or circulation of written or printed words, solicit, advise, Induce or persuade, or attempt to Induce or persuade any person or persons employed (by common carriers) ... to quit such employment." Penalties of $15,000 and 15 years' Imprisonment are proposed for similar actions with the use of force or violence and for destruction or damage to carriers’ property fines of $lO,000 and ten years’ imprisonment are proposed. The final section of the bill declares “that nothing In this act shall be taken to deny to nny individual the right to quit his employment for any re* son.” Consider Needs of Farmers. Republican and Democratic members of the house from the agricultural districts met In joint conference to consider what action by congress will best serve to meet the needs of fnrmers who are facing financial loss as a result of falling crop prices. The conference was called by Representative Knutson (Rep.) of Minnesota, and It was said that it would be continued as a congressional organization created to aid the farmers not only In the present situation, but In the future. • Meantlme« the house banking committee continued Its hearings on the senate resolution to revive the war finance corporation, hearing arguments for and against the proposal. Eugene Meyer, Jr., of New York, former head of the corporation, urged passage of the senate resolution. Secretary Houston of the Treasury department reiterated his arguments against the measure.