The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-08-31
HO0dWinking
Clergymen

score OF our fellow men are assault
ca or murdered by members of this
band
Then remember the homes blown III
or burned. The families bounded. the
r'oting, burning OF street cars, wreck
ing OF trains and attempted or success
iul killing OF passengers.
The general disturbance OF industry
and the thousands of dollars forced
from taxpayers To pay extra police
s1eriffs 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 80 mil.
lion Americans protest against the
growth OF this crime-tainted organiza
ton comprising perhaps one and one
half million men, OF which ii 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 inter
ests and are now twisting and turning
them into machines for personal profit
and fame.
These men cunningly plan to force
workmen to join and pay % to rs
cents month in fees
Various methods are used to Gin.
ducc" 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.
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 $3.50 to $4,000
a month to the big trust and be SUBJ
ject 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 of
money and last winter 1S 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 hav-
ing them tied hand and foot.
But they failed and the last of these
"organi zers" left Battle Creek on May
1st 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 La
Dor Trust.
In Philadelphia some 1000 indepen-
dent street car 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 fce-paying ranks, so a strike
was ordered TO compel the traction
company to kick out these men and
hire only Labor Trust members.
IL was not a question OF wages or
hours. but to push the free men out OF
their positions where they were earn
Ing good money to support their fami-
lies. The strike was ordered. not to
raise wages or reduce hours, remem-
ber but solely to throw out members
OF an Independent union and make
places only for Labor Trust members.
and thus show the Independent men
they could not earn a living unless
they first paid fees to the trust man.
ayers.
incidentally the people of PhiIadel.
phia must submit to no car service.
rioting and bloodshed with millions I'm
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
paw fees.
How these men as strike leaders
love to see their names In the papers
each morning! It's meat and bread 10
their souls.
Then think OF the lordly power. and
don't forget the steady flow OF money