The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1910-09-02
H00dwinking
Clergymen

There Is seldom a day passes but
somewhere In our country from one to
q 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,
wrecking Of trains and attempted or
successful 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
a 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 organiza-
ton comprising perhaps one and one
half million men. Of which 1t Is esti.
mated at least seven.tenths are peace
loving citizens and are members by
coercion and are not in sympathy with
the three-tenths who have gained con-
troll 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 con.
troll of some railroads and other In
terests and are now twisting and turn
ing them into machines for personal
profit and fame.
These men cunningly plan to force
workmen TO Join and pay % to IS
cents n 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 exeites the emotions OF work
men and they are induced to join and
pay fees to the leaders.
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. II
they had yielded to the smooth talk
OF the agents of the trust and Joined
they would pay In fees from $1250.00
to 100000 a month to the big trust
and be subject to Strike orders any
time.
Now they save that and put the
money into homes and family com
forts
But the managers Of the American
Federation OF Labor have worked
hard and long to harness them.
The trust has sent small bales o.
money and last winter Is organizers
to tie up Battle Creek. They hiret
halls. gave picture shows. smokers
etc, as an investment. looking to rici
returns when they succeeded in hav
ing them tied hand and foot.
But they failed and the last o
these "organizers" left Battle Creel
on May LIST saying "it's no use."
The workmen knew the record o
this great trust and formed their owl
association to protect their rights an,
also to protect them from the BIZ
Labor Trust.
In Philadelphia some 1000 indepen
dent street car men. who mainly ha'
families, had their own union and re
fused to join the big trust. preferrin
to ne free to work or not as the
pleased.
But the trust planned to force ther
into the fee-paying ranks. SO a strik
was ordered to compel the Traction
company to kick out these men an
| hire only Labor Trust members.
, 1t was not a question of wages o
hours but to push the free men out Q
their positions where they were carr
, ing good money to support their fam
, lies. The strike was ordered. not
, raise wages or reduce hours, remen
, Der. but solely to throw out member
r of an independent union and max
, places only for Labor Trust members
and thus show the independent me
, they could not earn living unles
: they first paid fees to the trust maj
' ayers.
/ Incidentally the people Of Philade
!. phia must submit to no car seryic'
5 rioting and bloodshed with million
( In losses while these fee-hunting, not
1 riety seeking trust leaders were teacl
ing the world that industry cannot b
carried on except by workmen VIII
= first bend the knee. bow the head an
4 pay fees.
Q How these men as strike leader
love to see their names In he papel