The San Francisco call., 1910-08-31
HOOdwinkin&
Cler&ynnen

There is seldom a day passes but
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 streetcars, wreck
Ing of trains and attempted or success
full killing of passengers
The general disturbance of industry
and the thousands of dollars forced
from taxpayers 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 S0,-
100000 Americans protest against the
growth of this crime tainted organiza-
tion comprising perhaps 100000 men,
of which, 1t is estimated, 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 control and force
their methods.
We find that 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 are now twisting and turning
them into machines for personal profit
and fame.
These men cunningly plan to force
workmen to join and pay 25 to 75 cents
a month in fees.
Various methods are used to lin
duce" workmen to join.
First, they talk of the tyranny of
capitaf' making slaves of workmen.
Then they work up enthusiasm about
the brotherhood of man. and other
talk which experience has shown ex-
cites the emotions of workmen and
they are induced to Join" and pay
fees to the leaders.
The 5000 workmens 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 $3.50 TO
$4,000 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
T But the manage of the American
Federation of Labor have worked hard
and long to. harness them.
The trust has sent small bales of
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 on
May / saying. Its no use."
The workmen knew the record of
this great trust and formed their own
association to protect their rights and
also to protect them from the big
Labor Trust.
In Philadelphia some 1000 fndepen-
dent streetcar men who mainly had
families, had their own union and re-
fused to join the. big trust, preferring
to be free to work or not, as they
pleased.
But the trust planned to force them
into the fee paying ranks, so strike
was ordered to compel the traction
company to kick out these men and
hire only Labor Trust members.
1t was not a question of wages or
hours, but to push the free men out
of their positions, where they were
earning good money to support their
families The strike was ordered not
to raise wages or reduce hours, re-
member, but solely to throw out mem
bers of an Independent union and
make places only for Labor Trust
members, and thus show the indepen-
dent men they could not earn a living
unless they first paid fees to the trust
managers.
incidentally the people of Philadel-
phia must submit to no car service,
rioting and bloodshed with millions in
losses while these fee-hunting, notori-
ety-seeking trust leaders were teach
ing the world that industry cannot be
carried on except by workmen who
first bend the knee, bow the head and
pay fees.
How these men as strike leaders
, love to see their names in the papers