Strike bulletin., January 13, 1914, Image 1

About Strike bulletin. (Clinton, Ill.) 1913-1915

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

                
m STRIKE - BULLETIN M
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VoL 2, No. 2 CLINTON, ILLINOIS, JANUARY 11,1M4 Con. No. SS
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To the Men on the Line
THE STRIKE BULLETIN WILL GO ON. It will go on because it has a service to perform.
It will tell the truth about the Illinois Central and Harriman lines. The tyranny of organized dollars
cannot silence the cause of man. The greed that menaces American homes will be exposed. For the
God given rights of Labor the Bulletin will contend. There is no compromise possible between right
and wrong. Only the achievement of Justice for the toilers on the Illinois Central and Harriman
lines will remove the necessity for its publication. When this end is brought about, then and then
only will the activities of the Bulletin cease. This is the unconditional challenge of the men who left
their jobs rather than renounce the free man's right to Unionize.
1 write this from jail. I am neither a coward nor a hero. 1 am secure in the consciousness that
I have wronged no one. During my editorship of the Bulletin it has never served falsehood. The un
fortunate tragedy of December thirtieth was not of my making. Truth will out. The people will
then knew of my innocence as I now know it. 1 do not court favor. 1 ask justice. 1 have no fear.
One charge against me I feel I must meet. It has been said and printed by enemies of the truth
that I am npt an American citizen. The unconcealed purpoes of this is to poison the public mind
against me.
The statement is untrue. 1 was born in Sweden. Our family moved to America. We came as
thousands of others have come to live free lives in a free country. My father is a naturalized Ameri
can citizen—a citizen of Illinois. Under the law of the United States the naturalization of my father
during my minority made me an American citizen. I AM AN AMERICAN CITIZEN. I have tried
to be a citizen in more than name only. 1 have obeyed the law and have tried to lead a clean life. To
no man do 1 owe a penny. My efforts in behalf of organized labor I regard as the best proof of my
love for my country.
What American can look upon homeless, jobless men and women,—hungry, crying children,—
bread lines and soup houses,—red light districts and sweat shops, and not want to remove the cause?
Poverty is the cause. The inadequate pay envelope of the working man is lowering the standard
of our American life. Organized labor is the protection and the protest against the poverty that en
dangers the health, happiness and morality of the American people.
THE STRIKE BULLETIN WILL GO ON. More than ever is publicity necessary to the cause
of labor.
Labor dumb is dead.
A people blind—stumble.
The wronged must have a tongue to tell their story—to plead their cause. This is essentially
true in a government by the people. To cure wrongs the people must know that wrongs exist. Some
tongue must speak the truth without prejudice or fear.
This is the mission of the Strike Bulletin.
Organized Greed—the parent of Special Privilege, has its paid press. Its selfish and false side
of the story has been so cunningly told that those who dare speak for the underfed hopeless are as
sassinated by libel and slander and branded the enemies of their country.
In the world’s yesterdays others have been libeled and slandered because they dared to believe
in the brotherhood of man, yet truth in the end triumphed.
We are on the way. The time to stand together is NOW. 1 have just received word from our
attorney, Frank Comerford of Chicago, that the case of the Illinois Central and Harriman lines will
be taken to the Federal Industrial Relations Commission. The commission will hear the case. Mr.
Comerford wiii represent us in that forum. He will also defend me. This is authoritative. It is
good news. I send it to you with my best wishes.
Fraternally,
CARL E. PERSON,
County Jail, Clinton, 111.