The day book. [volume], March 28, 1914, NOON EDITION, Image 30

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
BULLETIN 139 UNCLE SAM TELLS THE STORY
OF A GREAT AMERICAN TRAGEDY
Bulletin 139 of Uncle Sam's bureau of labor statistics is a document
with food for thought. It is an encyclopedia of the Michigan copper district
strike. In a heavy,, official manner it tells an absorbingly interesting story
the storv of coDDer. of creed and of humanity once more crucified because
of its worship of liberty.
The facts are there how a few men got hold of a great natural treas
ure, putting in $1,200,000 and taking out $120,000,000; how, to protect this
privilege, they subsidized churches and schobls, endowed philanthrophies,
installed costly schemes of welfare work, hired private armies, controlled
newspapers, swayed legislatures and courts and tried in every way but the
right way to keep their workers contented.
How, not to be lulled by gifts from above, the workers yearned for in-,
dustrial and social justice for better wages, shorter hours, fairer condi-
tions, a say in the ordering of their lives.
How surprised, then indignant, then tubbornly cruel the task-masters"
became when the workers, asserting themselves, voted for justice or war.
And then how the long tragedy of the combat proceeded, arrogant capi
tal on the one hand, tenacious poverty on the other, with government
meekly seeking to mediate but seemingly powerless to step in and by its'
commanding might establish justice.
The bulletin tells the whole pathetic story, but you have to read most
of it between the lines. For it is a statistical documentary, lawyer-like re
port packed full of raw facts, and not a human picture.
If it WERE a human picture; if it showed as they exist the contrasts be- '
tween life as it is lived in Boston by the luxurious copper barons sybarites
like the nobles of imperial Rome and as it is endured by the thousands
who delve in the bowels of the earth, doing the work which makes these ab
sentee capitalists rich (ruler contrasted with ruled; light, joy, privilege for a
few; penury, toil, subjection for the many), congress would probably have
a fit and deny it access to the mails. .,
As it is, you can get a copy by sending to Washington; but when you,
read it you will have to picture these illuminating contrasts yourself.
-o o
THE MEXICAN SITUATION
Mexico City, March 28. General
Huerta started 2,000 conscripted sol
diers for Torreon today in a desperate
effort to save the besieged city. The
men were picked up on the streets of
the capital, pressed into service, fitted
with arms and uniforms and hurried
ly placed aboard trains.
El Verjel, Durango. Gen. Francis
co Villa has been informed that Gen.
Maclovios Herrera, together with
part of the Zaragoza brigade, has
captured almost the entire southern
portion of Torreon. The entire north
ern portion of Torreon is in flames.
The federal loss in the battle1 of
Lerdo and Gomez Palacio was enor-
mous, according" to figures compiled
today. 800 dead have been picked up
on the two battlefields. The consti-.
tutionalist loss was 100 dead and 200
wounded in the two battles.
FRONT!
"When Brown was a child every
body predicted that he'd always be at
the front."
"And is he?"
"Yes; he's a doorboy."
o o
Forty babies out of every 100 born
in the United States, it is said, do
not receive medical attention at
birth.