The Connecticut labor press., June 14, 1919, Image 6

About The Connecticut labor press. (New Haven, Conn.) 191?-1921

Image provided by: Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT

                
THE CONNECTICUT LABOR PRESS
RED MENACE OF BOLSHEVISM
NOT TO DESTROY OUR DEMOCRACY
Annual Address Made By President Samuel Gompers at American
Federation of Labor Convention at Atlantic City.
Ovation for the Executive.
(By CHESTER M. WRIGHT.)
(Special to Connecticut Labor Press.)
Atlantic City, N. J., June 13. Defeat
of autocracy on the fields of France
meant defeat of autocracy everywhere
and American labor is determined that
this defeat shall be final and perman
ent just as determired as it is that
the red menace of Bolshevism shall not
destroy the democratic institutions of
America. That was the spirit of the
annual address of President Grmpers to
the American Federation of Labor con
vention here-
President Gompers summed up his
message in this paragraph of his ad
dress :
"The workers of the world are deter
mined that this new concept of the rela
tion between man and man and tlvs new
concept of the right of the workers to
have a voice in the determination of the
conditions of their labor and of their
lives shall be recognized."
At the conclusion of his speech Presi
dent Gompers aws given an ovation
that showed beyord dispute the senti
ment of the convention. The address,
which was :n response to the welcome
tendered by Governor Runyon and
President J. A. Quinn of the New Jer
sey State Federation of Labor, follows
.in full:-
"The American people were one hun
dred per cent, determined to see to it
that the opportunity of the democratic
peoples of the world to live their own
lives should be made secure. To us it
seems, or we were convinced, that if
the representatives of militarism and
autocracy could win in the war there
would be no opportunity for freedom
generally, nor could there be room in
the whole world for a well-ordered and
well-developed labor movement to pro
tect the rights and interests of the
working people. It was the fuller op
portunity and the larger freedom, the
atmosphere" in which the labor move
ment can only live these were menace
and at stake, and in our iudgment, made
good bv our action, we threw our lot
unon the side of those who stood for the
largest measure of freedom, in .the con
troversy. And our movement has made
good; there hasn't been any question
?.s to the straightforwardness of our
course.
"The war, for all practical purposes,
is over and the day for reconstruction
or readjustment is at hand. The war
has brought into olay new thoughts of
the rights of man, has brought into play
and developed the thought that the re
lations between nation and nation must
be better than they have ever been in
the history of the world, and that the
relations between man and man, wheth
er he occupy a position of supposed
power or wealth, be he an employer, be
he a skilled mechanic or a ditch digger
the man who produces the wealth.
the workers of America, the workers
ot the world are determined that this
new concept of the relation between
man and man and this new concept of
the right of the workers to have a voice
in the determination of the conditions
of their labor and of their lives shall be
recognized.
"I am very proud and gratified to
know that to a very large extent this
new concept is being accepted and ex
pressed by employers, yet there are
other employers who, like the Bourbons
of old, never learned anything, never
forgot anything because they never
learned anything, and to whom the
whole war and all the sacrifices and all
the untold numbers of men and women
who gave up their lives that the prin
ciples for which the war was conducted
should be nade living issues, not for
the war itself, not for fighting, not for
taking other human beings' 'ives, but
for an ideal, for a principle these are
the thoughts that prompted the men
and the women of our time to make
such tremendous sacrifices sacrifices
unknown in any other period of the
world's history. In making these sac
rifices it was not the intention, nor was
it even within the innermost recesses of
the mind that the principles for which
we contended in making those sacri
fices should be lost when the war was
won. In all the history of the world it
has been the men of labor, the hewers
of wood and the drawers of water who
have been compelled to bear the bur
dens of life. If there was any unfree
dom, it was they who -suffered ; if there
was any tyranny it was they upon whom
it was imposed.
"Well, in the year of grace 1919, sanc
tified by more than four years of blood
letting, the day of tyranny and autoc
racy, whether it be in the political life
or the industrial life of our peoples, has
gone. Very recently an industrial con
cern in Toledo refused point-blank to
reconsider an arbitrary action taken by
the company in increasing the hours of
labor of the workers. If anv employer
believes that industrial autocracy or in
dustrial despotism is going to prevail
in the United States of America, he has
counted and is counting without his
host The principles for which this la
bor movement has been contending from
its very inception must come to full
fruition. We are making no unjust or
unwarranted demands upon society or
upon employers as such, but for the
service which the men and women of
labor give to society, a service without
which civilization itself would perish
for that service we insist upon a return
that shall give us the opportunity to
live a full-rounded life, ourselves, out
wives, our children orr dependents, and
to make of this country of ours and of
this world of ours a place worthy of
the civilization of our time.
"We have some concept of our duties
and our responsibilities, and we have
been honored by being told frankly and
freely that we have shown our full ap
preciation of the responsibilities which
rest upon us. The history of the labor
movement will, to the future historian,
be the greatest source of information
and inspiration. We are growing in
numbers, in power and in influence. To
carry that power and that influence to
the fullest extent and to realize our
duties to ourselves and to our fellows,
and in great apreciation of all that has
been done in the past, having a consci
ous vision for the future, to carry on
our work according to the best judg
ment for results to our fellows that
is the thing to which we give our atr
tention.
"I am confident that out of this gath
ering of delegates coming from work
shop, mill, mine and store, men repre
senting the bone and sinew of our land,
men who know and have experience,
will come an accounting to their con
stituents and to the masses of the people
of our country that will do honor and
credit to you delegates, as well as bring
wonderful achievements for the toiling
masses of our country."
RAILROAD OWNERSHIP.
Convention Cheers Plan of the
Brotherhood.
DAYLIGHT SAVING.
Atlantic Citv. N. T., June 11. Dis
approval of the daylight saving plan
was voted today by the American Fed
eration of Labor convention when a
resolution was introduced asking the
Federation to protest against the pro
posed repeal by Congres of the daylight
saving law.
The resolution was called up for ac
t-on immediately under suspension of
the rules. Timothy Healy, president of
the Stationary Firemen, fathered the
resolution, introduction of which fol
lowed the arrival of a representative of
the Daylight Saving association who
said that unless there were quick action
here the repeal bill vould go through
congress.
Defeat of the daylight saivng idea
was accomplished mainly bv the miners
and the Ohio delegation. These had
the aid of Delegate McCull mgh of Des
Moines.
At the Baltimore convention three
years ago the Federation approved day
light saving.
Anruments that weighed "heaviest
gainst it today were that employers
endeavored to exact excessive over
time because of the additional daylight
at the end of the normal work-day, that
agricultural workers found it oppres
sive and that women were opposed to it.
It also was charged that certain indus
trial interests found themselves in con
flict over the issue and that the work
ers suffered as a result.
Atlantic City. N. J., June 11. If the
American Federation of Labor assem
bled in convention especially likes a pro
posal it gets up on its feet and cheers
right out loud. It never does that when
it is displeased.
When Glenn E. Plumb, chosen rep
resentative of all the organjzations of
railroad employees, addressed the con
vention explaining the Brotherhoods'
plan for railroad ownership and opera
tion, the convention arose and applaud
ed in a real demonstration. It then
voted unanimously to spread the ad
dress on the minutes.
Should the railroads of the Uniied
States come under the Brotherhoods'
plan this is what would happen :
Upon proper valuation being fixed the
government would take over the physi
cal properties.
Congress then would form a corpora
tion for public service.
The government then would lease the
roads to this corporation for operation.
This corporation would be governed
by a board of directors chosen as fol
lows :
One-third by the classified employees
the wage earners.
One-third by the railroad employees
above the classified grades.
One-third by the government to rep
resent the public.
Mr Plumb told the convention that
"the interests of the public are human
interests, not dollar interests." Further,
he said, "today is the day of all days
when human rights are coming to the
foreground."
Plumb says the railroads now get a
half billion dollars a year to which they
can show no title. "Doubtless the rail
roads are over-capitalized six or eight
billion dollars," he told the convention.
Continuing the outline of the plan,
Plumb said that the operating corpora
tion would have to meet all operating
expenses, pay interest and provide a
sinking fund. "What is then left is
what was formerly dividends," he said.
Under the Brotherhoods' plan what
used to be dividends would go one-hal "
to the public in the shape of reduced
transportation costs and one-half to the
workers in higher wages, each man
drawing in proportion to his yearly in
come. This plan gives to those who know
most about the industry the formation
of the rule of the industry," said
Plumb. "The leaders of the railroad
unions have seen a great vision the
vision of industry free."
Plumb is a stockily set-up man of
about five feet eight. He has a bristly
moustache oi sandy hue. He "stands up
straight and talks plainly. He does no
arm waving. He makes no bid for ap
plause. The railroad union leaders say
he is the greatest railway statistical
expert in America. He is general coun
sel for all the railway employees' unions
15 of them. Years ago he became
counsel for the Brotherhood of Loco
motive Engineers.
In a quiet voice Plumb made state
ments to the delegates here that may
have been the most portentious made in
years. Bringing close together sentences
that came five minutes apart in his
speech a -sharper picture of his mean
ing is obtained. Thus he said :
"When we have done that (got gov
ernment ownership) we have elimin
ated capital forever.
"Management then must be placed in
the hands of the men who know how to
run the industry.
"Management will then be released
from the dictation of Wall street.
"This plan applies not only to the
railroads, though it probably will be ap
plied there first; it applies to every in
dustry based upon monopoly or privil
ege "
Plumb scoffed at the idea that effic
iency would suffer. He said that the
old system sought efficiency by making
men fear the loss of jobs. "Fear," he
said "fear is the poorest system on
earth on which to build efficiency; hope
is the, inspiration of the world; fear is
the incentive of slaves "
He declared that under the new plan
the railroad workers would become "a
real army of service for mankind" under
"the inspiration of authority and re
sponsibility." Immediately after the address Mar
tin F. Ryan, president of the Railway
Car Builders, announced that a resolu
tion supporting the plan would be in
troduced, signed by all railway union
delegations. He said also that the
unions intended to launch immediately
a oublicity and agitation campaign from
headquarters of the railway department
in Washington.
The Salvation Army Home Service
Fund campaign for $13,000,000 will be
conducted during the week of May 19
26. Its success will enable the Salva
tion Army to practically double Its
efforts among the poor.
The Salvation Army returns from
the trenches of France to take up its
half century old battle in the trenches
of poverty in the United States. Re
member the Salvation Army Home
Service Fund campaigp for $13,000,00C
May 19-26.
"THE REVIEW."
A Weekly Journal of Political
and General Discussion.
K --
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Member of the New Haven Trades Council Co-operative Campaign.
J--'.-".H: 1 "'. ri-
The Connecticut Labor Press has re
ceived from the publishers the first
number of "The Review" of New York,
which it says "resists the unthinking
drift towards radical innovation." As
we got this number as soon as it was out
it is not necessary to read it again The
Review is edited by Fabian Franklin
and Harold de Wolf Fuller, who are
the principal officials of the publishing
company. Fabian Franklin is a fine
name for an editor but we have oui
doubts about Harold de Wolf Fuller
as far as his name is concerned al
though he may be very able.
The money to start this publication
was subscribed in moderate sums by
more than 100 persons in several cities
and the money was raised under the
following agreement: "It is mutually
understood and agreed that teh journal
is to be absolutely independent and that
its conduct and policy are to be directed
exclusively by its editors." The act of
incorporation contains the following
provision: "In the conduct of the said
journal and its editorial policies, the
editors shall not be responsible or ac
countable to the corporation for any
opinion, comment or criticism lawfully
made or expressed by them."
This should convince its readers that
this paper does not come under the
head ot the capitalistic press. For a
year or so there has been springing up
an extremely radical chain of weekly
papers that may please a certain few but
they will not accomplish much except
eat up the capital put into them The
Review was evidently started to coun
teract these radical journals. In this
connection we quote from an article by
VV. J. Ghent in the Nations Civic Fed
eration Review about the Nation, one
of the most radical .weeklies and at the
same time catering to the most cultured
and highly educated class in this coun
try, a paper owned principally by Oscai
Garrison Villard, formerly proprietor
of the New York Evening Post. The
Nation upholds the Soviet government
of Russia. The article says :
"Of course, this editorial manner is
a traditional one in your office, and per
haps there is no escape from it It
comes down from the days of E. L.
Godkin. There is, however, a difference,
Godkin scattered the largess of his
odium in cynical disdain; you people
do the thing in riotous frenzy. Your
journal has long been the particular or
gan of the college professors and de
tached intellectuals, and this manner is
after their hearts' desire. These clois
tered savants are, in the main, a timid
folk who do hot ordinarily venture far
from their sheltered retreat j. But what
they lack in contact with actual life
they make up in imaginative adventure.
Just as shopgirls and serving maids find
escape from the trammels of everyday
life in the glowing pages of Bertha M.
Clay and Laura Jean Libbey, identify
ing themselves with the heroines of
these romances and listening to the
ardent wooing of princelings, lordlings
and rich manufacturers' sons, so these
faineant intellectuals ride to glorious
adventure on the wings of your de
nunciatory rhetoric. Your ba ties be
come their battles; ard they see them
selves the doughty victors on a thous
and fields.
"Now, strangely enough, you have
taken on a new clientele one of pro
Bolshevists, anarchists and I. W. W.'s.
I find them out here the eager pur
chasers and hungry readers of your
journal These folk are not necessar
ily timid folk like the intellectuals; in
deed, some of them sometimes give ex
amples of what is called 'rough-house'
that might make even Trotzky envious ;
but since their wonted activities are
more, and more restrained by the bruta.
hand of the police and the secret ser
vice, there rises in them also this up
welling of supposed desires, and they,
too, must find imaginative adventure
along the torrent of your denunciation."
SALVATION ARMY
VALIANTJN WAR
Having Served Gloriously in the
Trenches, Is Coming Back
From Overseas for Peace
Time Activities.
ASKS HOME SERVICE FUND.
National Campaign to Replenish Re
sources Depleted by Long and Di
rect Contact Services With
Our Boys Scheduled for
May 19-26.
New York (Special). Like the
2,000,000 American boys whom It
served so gloriously In the trenches ot
France, the Salvation Army Is coming
back from overseas, ready to put aside
Its khaki uniform of war service, don
again the "Civvies" and embark once
more on Its normal peace time activi
tles. And, Just like those doughboys, the
Salvation Army has come out of the
war victorious and with citations for
bravery, decorations for gallantry un
der fire and golden chevrons indica
tive of honorably won wounds on its
arm. The victory which the Salva
tion Army has won is a Tlctory over
the obstacles that lay before It In Its
purpose of efficient service of the fight
ers of Pershing's army. Its citations
are the thanks, cheers and prayers of
2,000,000 doughboys. Its wound stripes
are rightfully golden of hue, for they
typify the unselfish way In which the
Army threw all Its resources finan
cial, spiritual and moral Into the ef
fort to help the American soldiers In
France.
Now the Army Is asking the people
of America to give It concrete evidence
of the gratitude which has been so
loudly, and so willingly expressed.
From May 19 to 26 the Salvation Army
will conduct In the United States a
campaign to raise $13,000,000 for Its
Home Service Fund. The money is
needed both to recoup the fortunes of
the Army, shattered by its long service
of the soldier and to permit It to carry
on the work It has always done on the
larger scale which the public now
demands. Raising the money by this
means, the Salvation Army explains,
will eliminate, perhaps permanently,
the necessity for the ceaseless solicita
tion of funds which has been a bug
bear to the Army and the public alike.
It will permit the workers of the Army,
who, forced to devote more than half
their time to gathering money, were In
consequence only half efficient in their
evangelistic and social service work,
to devote all their time in future to
the duties for which they have been
trained.