The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1910-09-02

There Is seldom day passes but
somewhere in our country from one 70
q score Of our fellow men are assault
cd or murdered By members OF this
band.
Then remember the homes blown
Up or burned The families bounded,
the rioting, burning OF street cars.
xrecking Of trains and attempted or
successful killing Of passengers.
The general disturbance Of industry
and the thousands OF dollars forced
from tax payers 10 pay extra police.
sherifs and militia 10 protect. even IN
q feeble way, the citizens from the
Inobs Of members Of the American
Federation Of Labor.
Then you will realize why the great
peace-loving majority Of over so NIL
liou Americans protest against the
growth Of this cr!me-tainted organiza-
ton comprising perhaps one and one
half million men. OF which 4 is esti-
mated al least seyen-tenths are peace
loving citizens and are member By
coercion and are not in sympathy with
the three-tenths who have gained co2-
troll and force their methods.
We fnd 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
worknen 10 Join and pay % TO "a
cents 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 he:
/ shown excites the emotions Of work
men and they are induced 10 join anC
pay fees to the leaders.
The 5000 workmen In Battle Creel
/ are. as a rule. free from the dictates
/ of the great Labor Trust and still ge
the highest wages in Michigan.
they had Yielded to the smooth tall
Of the agents of the trust and Joined
4 they would pay In fees from s1250.0i
TO 100000 a month 10 the big trus
and be subject TO Strike orders an.
time
Now they save that and put tn,
| money into homes and family CON
forts
But the managers Of the American
Federation Of Labor have worke
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 hire
halls. gave picture shows. smokers
etc. as an investment. looking TO ric
returns when they succeeded in ha'
Ing them tied hand and foot.
But they failed and the last {
these organizers" left Battle Cree
on May LIST saying ITS no use"
The workmen knew the record {
this great trust and formed their ow
association to protect their rights an
also to protect them from the bi
Labor Trust
In Philadelphia some 1000 indepel
dent street car men, who mainly Ia
families, had their own union and r
fused to join the big trust. preferTin
to ne free to work or not as the
pleased.
But the trust planned to force thei
into the fee-paying ranks, so strik
was ordered TO compel the tractio
company 10 kick out these men an
hire only Labor Trust members.
II was not a question OF wages {
hours but to push the free men or I
their positions where they were ear
, ing good money TO support their fam
lies. The strike was ordered, not
raise wages or reduce hours, renler
Der, but solely to throw out member
: OF an independent union and mai
places only for Labor Trust member
and thus show the independent me
, they could not earn a living unle'
they first paid fees to the trust ma
, ayers.
/ Incidentally the people of PhiladC
phia must submit to no car servic
, ric.sng and bloodshed with milliol
I in losses while these fee-hunting. not
| riety seeking trust leaders were teac
ing the world that industry cannot
carried on except by workmen WI
!. first bend the knee. bow the head al
pay fees.
) How these men as strike leade
love to see their names in the DaDe