The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-08-31

maimed in the Chicago teamsters strike.
 There is seldom a day passes but somewhere in our country from one to a score of our fellow men are assault ed or murdered by, members of this band
 Then remember the homes blown up or burned. The families bounded, the rioting, burning of street cars, wreck ing of trains and attempted or sue cessful killing of passengers.
 The general disturbance of industry and the thousands of dollars forced from tax payers to pay extra police sheriffs and militia to protect, even In feeble way, the citizens from the mobs of members of the American Federation of Labor.
 Then you will realize why the great peace loving majority of over so mil lion Americans protest against the growth of this crime tainted organfza- tion comprising perhaps one and a half million men, of which it Is estimated at least seven-tenths are peace-loving citizens and are members by coercion and are not in sympathy with tho three-tenths who have gained control and force their methods.
 We find that a few designing men have seized control of the American Federation of Labor just as some shrewd capitalists have secured control of some railroads and other interests and are now twisting and turning them into machines for personal profit and fame.
 These men cunningly plan to force workingmen to join and pay 25 to 75 cents a month in fees.
 Various methods are used to "in- duce" .workmen to join First. they talk of the tyranny of capital" making slaves of workmen. Then they work up enthusiasm | about the brotherhood of man" and other talk which experience has shown excites the emotions of workmen and they are induced to join and pay | fees to the leaders.
 l The 5000 workmen in Battle Creek are, as a rule, free from the dictates of the great Labor Trust and still get the | highest wages in Michigan. If they had yielded to the smooth talk of the agents of the trust and joined they would pay in fees from $1250 to $2000 a month to the big trust and be subject to strike orders at any time. | money into homes and family comforts
 But the managers of the American Federation of Labor have worked hard and long to harness them. The trust has sent small bales of money and last winter IS organizers ! to tie up Battle Creek. They hired halls, gave picture shows, smokers | etc, as an investment, looking to rich | returns when they succeeded in having them tied hand and foot
 But they failed and the last of these ''organizers" left Battle Creek or May 1st saying its no use" The workmen knew the record o1 this great trust and formed their owr association to protect their rights and also to protect them from the big Labor Trust.
 In Philadelphia some 4000 independ- ent street car men, who mainly had families, had their own union and re fused to join the big trust, preferrins to be free to work or not as the, pleased. s
 But the trust planned to force then into the fee-paying ranks, so strike was ordered to compel the traction company to kick out those men ant
 hire only Labor Trust members. It was not question of wages ol
 hours but to push the free men out O. their positions where they were earn ing good money to support their fami lies The strike was ordered not t' Praise wages or reduce hours, remem
 Der, but solely to throw out members iof an independent union and make places only for Labor Trust members and thus show the independent mer they could not earn a living unless
 they first paid fees to the trus managers.
 Incidentally the people of Philadel phia must submit to no car service rioting and bloodshsd with millions il losses while these f.c. huntinS. notori ety-seeking trust eleadcrs were teach
 ing the world that Industry cannot b.
 carried on except by workmen wh'
 first bend the knee. bow the head an' pay fees.
 How these men as strike leaders low to see their names In the papers eacl