The San Francisco call., 1903-09-04
THE FORT BRAGG LEAGUE

THE man in the middle has concluded to defend
himself in the conflict between labor and capital
IN which he is getting all the kicks and cuffs
from both sides. At Fort Bragg the constantly re-
curing controversies in the lumber camps have dis
turbed trade ard dsorganized business such an e
tent that the general public has concluded to defend
itself assert its interests and combine to take care
OF them.
When President Roosevelt took up the settlement
of the coal strike he declared that his motive was the
need OF asserting the rights OF non-combatants the
people who not coal miners nor coal operators,
but the consumers OF coal OF the necessares of
life Standing in the matter as the representative
OF that class which far outnumbered the enlbattled
parties to the direct controversy, he able to
cure impartial arbitration which seems to be the
beginning OF the settlement of many important is
sues involving individual rights and independence.
The Fort Bragg League carries out the Presidents
idea and proposes by organization to combine the
power of the general public and to it in vndica-
ton OF the law and project it even into politics ii
need be- in the assertion OF the common rights OF
Its attention is turned first the suppression Of
lawessness in labor strikes The whole country is
getting aroused by the conditions OF anarchy which
are a feature in every labor strike. Reckless
sense of discrimination between right and wrong.
After that chaos and crime follow The incidents of
the long pending linemen's strike are such could
be effectively dealt with by such league. The law
has far proved poweress to protect the persons OF
workmen who in pursuance of their legal rights
have taken the place OF the strikers and the law is
equally inefficient in protecting the property of the
telephone company
The general public are the victims OF these condi-
tions. Unfortunately the law is throtted by misuse
in the hands of the officers elected administer it.
In Oakland non-union lineman was murderousy
beset by dozen cowardly strikers and in defense Of
his life drew pistol His assailants who had broken
the law in threatening and attacking him, caused his
arrest for defending himself and police magistrate
fined him with the alternative OF mprison-
ment Now. in morals this is just the same as if
gang of highwaymen beset to murder him.
as incident OF robbery, and when driven off by
pistol ask the court to punish their intended victim
for defending himself
The punishment inflicted by the magistrate is
direct Indictment further violation OF the law.
One young man lies in an Oakland hospital nearly
beaten to death in broad daylight by gang Of strk-
ers because he stood upon his right to work for
whom he pleased The of buildings upon
which there may be a ple,Ius of telephone wires are
]
see to repairs Gaining admission to the roof by this
deception they the wires and disuse all the ele
phones in that part of the system. Their presence
on the building is trespass and cutting the wires
is felony and the general public suffers the con-
sequences These things anarchy and it is the
odium of official authority that by such decisions
that of the Oakland police magistrate the protec-
ton OF the law is removed from those who obey
the law and its vioators are encouraged in their
defiance. Not only in loss and inconvenience does
the general public suffer for its interests endang
cred by having passionate and crimnally disposed
men taught that the law cannot restrain them
One need seek far afeld for the motive of the
police magistrate. He is catering for votes. He has
no fear of the great unorganzed middeman, who for
lack Of organization does not know what hurts him.
but only knows that he is hurt. Let Oakland have
such organization the Fort Bragg League with
votes far outnumbering those of the law breakers
and their sympathizers and its members bound by an
obligation to enforce the law against all violators
and the votesnpng magistrate will find that it
to his interest to be mindful of his oath and so en-
force the law not to encourage its violation
! One significant and hopeful sign is that in Fort
Bragg many members of labor unions have joined
this citizens league They are men with families,
with hostages given for law and order who have no
sympathy with felony and misdemeanor and hold their
American citizenship above all other things
I