Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1908-06-11
Socialist PS,rtv
Convention manifesto
Issued Orga zed LaborRmgng Challenge to Capitalist
Government on Injunctons and the Gripping of
Labor Unions Through Anti Trust Law.
Position Clearly Defined.

The following is the address to or.
ganized labor drafted by the commit
tee and submitted to the Socialist Ma
tional convention:
"The movement of organized labor
is a natural result Of the antagonism
between the interests Of employers and
wage-earners under the capitalist sys-
tenn. Its activity in the daily struggle
over wages, hours, and other conditions
of labor is absolutely necessary to coun-
teract the evil effects Of competition
among the working people and to save
them from being reduced to material
and moral degradation. 1t is equally
valuable as a force for the social, eco
nomic and political education of the
workers.
It Does Not Dictate.
"The Socialist Party does not seek
to dictate to organized labor in matters
Of internal organization and union pol
icy. II recognizes the necessary au-
tonomy of the union movement on the
economic field, as it insists on main
tanning its own autonomy on the
political field. 1t is confident that in
the school of experience organized la
Dor will as rapidly as possible develop
the most effective forms of organiza-
ton and methods of action.
"In the history Of the recent Meyer
Haywood protest, participated in by
unions of all sorts and by the Social
ist Party, il finds reason to hope for
closer solidarity on the economic field
and for more effective cooperation
between organized labor and the So
cialist Party, the two wings Of the
movement for working-elass emaneipa-
tion.
"The Socialist Party stands with or
ganized labor in all its struggles to
resist capital aggression or to wrest
from the capitalists any Improvement
in the conditions of labor. II declares
that it is the duty of every wage
workers TO be an active and loyal mem
ber of the organized labor movement,
striving to win its battles and to
strengthen and perfect it for the
preat er struggles to come
Confronted by Great Crisis.
Organized labor is today confronted
by a great crisis. The capitalists, in
toxicated with wealth and power and
alarmed by the increasing political and
economic activity of the working class,
have as a class undertaken a crusade
for the destruction of the labor orgni.
cations.
"In Colorado, Nevada, Alaska and
elsewhere law and constitution have
been trampled under foot, military des-
potism set up, and judicial murder at
tempted with this aim in view. Where
such violent methods have not seemed
advisable, other means have been used
to the same end.
"The movement for the so.called
open shop but thinly wells an attempt
to close the shops against organized
workingmen; il is backed by powerful
capitalist organizations, with millions
Of dollars in their war funds.
Courts Always Hostile.
"The courts, always hostile TO labor,
have of late outdone all previous rec
ords in perverting the law to the serv'
ice of the capitalist class. They have
issued iniunctions forbidding the call.
ing of strikes, the announcement OF
boyeotts, payment of union benefits,
or even any attempt to organize unor'
ganized workingmen in certain trades
and places. They have issued arbitrary
decrees dissolving unions under the pro
tense Of their being labor trusts.
"They have sustained the capitalists
in bringing damage suits against
unions for the purpose of tying up oI
sequestrating their funds. They have
wiped off the statute books many labor
laws-laws protecting little children
from exploitation in the fcatory, laws
making employers liable for damage'
in ease of employees killed or injured
at their work, laws guaranteeing thu
right Of workingmen 20 belong 4
unions.
"while affirming the right Of EN-
ployers TO bar organized workingmel
from employment, they have declare,
IL unlawful for workingmcn to agre
not to patronize non'union establish
meuts. The only consistent rule oh
served by the courts in dealing wit