Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-31
What is Said by Leaders Of the
Movement.
WILL Be A. NATIONAL PROTEST.
In Many Cities Debs Resolutions
Will Be Read.
THE YEARS RE G o r D

Labor day this year is TO be celebrated
under somewhat unusual circumstances. 1t
comes on September 2 in most of the
states, although Pennsylvania does not
celebrate it until Saturday, September I.
In most Cities as in Washington, arrange
ments have been made to make the day
one of protest against the Incarceration Of
Eugene " Debs. To this end the Trades
and Labor Assembly and the Central Labor
Federation in Chicago have arranged
monster parade in that city. Philadelphia
will also have very elaborate procession,
the Carpenters and Joiners' Union being
the prime mover in the affair New York;
celebration will not be so imposing that
of some other cities, owing to the removal
CT labor's national headquarters from the
metropolis. The other leading cities of the
country will have the customary parades.
Any one who has opportunities of get
ting at the real opinions of the principal
labor leaders of the country must be i'm
pressed by their change of thought in the
matter of industrial problems. There seems
to prevail an impression that new era
has been ushered in, and that the old meth
DDS Must be discarded.
MIR. sovereign's Views.
Labor day this year." said James r.
Sovereign, general master workman of the
will certainly usher in a new epoch. The
industrial element has more solidarity,
should say. now than at any former period.
There may not be the old-time show and
glitter, but there will be enthusiasm and
determination to stand together. I fully
agree with those who declare that class
feeling in this republic is stronger than in
any other country in the world. That Is
the inevitable result of economic oppres-
sion. For a long time the American work.
inSman was taught and believed that he
was immeasurably better off than his
toiling brother In other lands. Events here
have opened his eyes. Capitalism is the
same here as elsewhere. 1t grinds the
faces of the poor. The very fact that
political equality exists appears to make
economic despotism harsher."
Mr.. Sovereign was asked ebout his boy
colt of the bank notes.
That has been much misrepresented.
Ihose who think the measure farcical are
welcome to their opinion But as protest
of labor against existing conditions it
ought to be significant. Labor has little
to do Eow but protest against its servitude
1t seems odd that the discomfort of the
working masses should be ridiculed. Surely
the workers of any land are an important
element in 1t; population. Let us assume,
for the sake of argument, that they voice
demands that are absurd. is 1t nice to mock
these demands? Would it not be better for
those who deem them absurd to argue tenn
perately with labor and endeavor to point
its errors out to it? Again, see how coldly
the classes hold aloof from Labor day
They take no interest in 1t. Whenever the
workingman has measure to propose, he
must make his fight alone. When the
fnanciers or the business men want a thing
done they are very ready to solicit the
toilers' aid
"Do you agree with Debs in condemning
strikesT
II don't think Debs is against strikes as
a means in certain emergencies. We have
Just seen two large strikes brought to
successful issue-the miners in PennsylVa-
MIA and the tailors' in New York. What Mr..
Debs means, Is that the expediency of the
strike must be first taken into account.
For my part deem the strike almost in
evitable under existing conditions, although
I do not believe in the rash and unjust
strike. Labor day is destined to be happy
in that respect this year. The workers will
have no failure to remember"
President McBride's Opinion.
President Mcbride Of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor shares in the general
opinion that new conditions are arising.
Labor day will be a great occasion this
year. said he, because the workingmen
have gained GO much the past twelve
months. 1 am very glad the occasion is to
be made one Of national protest against the
Debs outrage. In Its way the episode has
been a blessing in disguise. 1t has shown
the toilers how little they may expect from
the powers that be, under existing condi-
lions. The old way Of regarding our re-
public as the paradise Of toilers is over
and done with. Rather Is it paradise of
capitalists. Where in the world has capital
more prerogatives than among ourselves?
I wonder if our people understand the sig
nifcance of the fact that the toiling mass
es are learning to regard the conditions I'M
der which they live with sullen discomfort?
Does 1t bode well for the future of our
land? Would not mere self-interest, If suf-
ficiently enlightened, prompt capital to look
to the welfare of labor? The trouble with
Cur people Is that they are so daZzled by
their political equality as to be for the
most part blind to economic inequality.
The consequence Is that when labor pro-
tests are heard there are charges of dema-
goguism made. We are told that working
men are misled by ignorance and union
leaders. The people who talk that way
overlook the fact that the toiler is under
paid and underfed. and in want. Men in
that condition do not want to be told that
their leaders are vicious. Let them first be
well paid and afforded the means of decent
livelihood. Then they will be in a position
to get rid of the vicious and ignorant lead
ers. The general obloquy heaped upon the
labor movement only adds invitation to the
general discomfort. 1t serves to set the
workers apart and to make them feel that
they are necessarily opposed in interest to
other classes"
Mr. Mcbride. by the way has entirely
recovered from his recent illness. He Is
looking very well indeed, and makes an
address in Indianapolis On Labor day.
Mr.. Gompcrs.
Samuel Gompers has in no way modified
his well-known views on the labor question.
1.-The movement, however, he said, in
answer to a question, "is apt to suffer from
the Introduction of all sorts of fads and Is
sues by social reformers who mean we'll
enough, but who usually drift the work.
irgmaE away into all sorts Of abstract dis
cussions and vain agitations. I believe in
the labor movement, but l do not feel
obliged on that account to take up every
new idea that comes along. There are too
many cur1-alls in the social agitations of
today. People Will assure you that if you
only adopt their panacea the whole world
will become a Garden of Eden. That may
be true enough. but those advocates in
wade the labor unions, and there eEsues an
immense amount of talk and very little ac-
ton. Action! That's the reed of labor
Our enemies have a monopoly of that. Dis
cussicn clears the air, but we must not al
ways discuss. That is why l look forward
to Labor day this year with unusual inter-
est. We are going to do something. The
protest against Debs' imprisonment will
lead to something definite, in my opinion.
II will serve to convince the workingman