The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-02-01
Time Has Arrived for T0ilerS
to Shake Them Off.
MUST BE UP AND DOING
Trades Union Movement Faces the Mos
Critical Period in It's History--Its
Hands Tied and Voice Silenced
by the Supreme Court.


Textile Workers Of America, writes In
the American Federationlst:
The great task that 'confronts the
leaders of the trades union movement
today is to find the best and most eff
fective means Of arouslng the spirit OF
the rank and hle and to bring them to
realization OF the fact that we are
now facing the most critical period In
our whole history. The question for
the members Of trades unions to ask
themselves after reading the recent de-
cisions handed down by the supreme
court Is just where they are at" and
what legal standing they have, pro-
vlded these decisions are allowed to
stand, which they certainly win be un-
less something is done to bring about
change.
We have been hugglng the idea for
over a century that the American con.
stitution guaranteed us free press.
The supreme court has taught us diff
ferently. No matter what injustice we
may have suffered at the hands of a
firm, our members may be deprived of
their means Of livelihood because they
have the temerity to join labor I'M
ion. We are not allowed 10 bring the
facts to the attention of our friends
through the regular medium Of our
Official journals. Nevertheless this
same august body of judges ruled that
It is perfectly legal for an employer Of
labor to discharge any or all Of his en-
ployees on no other grounds than that
they have Joined union of their
craft In order TO find sufficient
grounds upon which to base the last
decision the labor unions have been
placed I'm the same category as trusts
and combinations. In other words, the
Sherman antitrust law, framed for
the sole purpose Of curbing the gigan-
TIC trusts that were robbing the peo.
pie wholesale. has been so construed
as 10 make IL apply to labor unions.
Just reflect for a moment. Here Is
movement where certain moneyed In
terests combine for the purpose Of
controlling given commodity, so they
may dictate the price. Small dealers
who either refuse to Join them In their
unholy work OF robbing the people or
otherwise are not needed are crushed
to the wall. This movement became 80
alarming that a special law was enact
ed to meet It, which might have been
effective provided.it had been applied
Here. On the other hand, Is another
movement whose sole object il the ini-
proyement OF the condition OF those
who must earn their bread by the
sweat of their face, movement that
has taken thousands Of little children
from the mills. the mines and the
workshop and put them In the school
and the playground, movement that
has secured humane laws for the pro-
lection of women employed In our va
rious industries, and In spite OF all this
1t Is placed In the same class with such
soulless corporations as Standard Oh
and the beef trust. When learned
that the officers of the American Fed.
GRAFTON Of Labor had gone to Chicago
and later to Denver and placed the
demands OF organized labor before the
conventions of the two leading politi-
cal parties In no unmistakable terms,
could not help but feel that this &C
ton marked new epoch in the his
tory or the trades union movement.
The two platforms are now before
us. We all know just how far they so
with regard to injunctions, where we
made our special fight. We can easily
realize which comes nearest to our
ideals. 1t is for us to act accordingly.
The time has arrived when the man
who tolls must shake eff the shaciles
of political partisanship. He Is con-
fronting a situation today which will
test his very soul. If he ever hopes to
secure a fair share OF the wealth be
creates, now is the time for him to act
and act where 1t will be most effective,
ut the ballot box. III be fails to do so
he Is deserving Of all the indignities
that have been heaped upon him up to
the present time, and whatever hap
pens to the labor movement in the flu
ture he, and he alone, is responsible
for 1t.
Organized labor Is suffering today |
under certain injustice. Organized Ia
Dor has the political power to have
these grievances remedied. Before the
tear closes it will be demonstrated |
whether organized labor has the brains
to use that power as it should be used, |
By administering a stinging rebuke to
our enemies and electing our friends.