Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-10-04
The Los Anaeles Disaster.

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guilty, labor unionism must suffer
| severely unless it can be proven, I'M
| qnestionably, that the explosion and
subsequent fire were caused, as labor
| leaders claim, by faulty construction
| OF the gas mains within the plant. At
this time, the publishers, the city
board of trade and police appear unan-
| imous IN the verdict that the explosion
| was caused by dynamite or nitro
the greatest amount of damage, and
| by persons of full knowledge and in
tent.
The wal between the Los Angeles
Times and the labor unions has been
going en- for score of years. 1t has
become countrywide in it's notOriety.
General Otis has been unrelenting in
his fight against the unions, and I'M
ceasing in his endeavors to maintain
recent years, General Otis has had the
able assistance of his son-ln-law,
Harry G. Chandler and of his man.
aging editor, Harry E. Andrews, as
well as the loyal support of the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers associa-
ton of Los Angeles.
Harry T.. Andrews, referred to as
the managing editor of the Los An
geles Times, is d man widely known
throughout Maine. For years. lie was
known as The Rambler of the Lew
iston Journal, and visited every part
of Maine, winning his spurs as a spe-
cial correspondent and Tree lance, and
by lis reIia billly the friendship ana
Later, he became managing editor and
part owner OF the Journal, severing
his connection there in 1897 because
OF the illness OF his wife and the neces-
slty tor taking her to a more equable
climate to spend the remainder of her
life Mr.. Andrews at once became.
connected with the Los Angeles
Times. Later he became city editor,
and was then advanced to his present
responsible position, which he has held
for several years.
On visit to Maine few months
ago, Mr.. Andrews discussed with the
writer many important phases of the
war between his paper and the unions.
He told of the auxiliary plant and
said that the Times was prepared for
just such contingency as startled the
world on Saturday morning.
AS might have been expected of a
man who has been at war with a Ger
tain element for years and has SUI
Tered all sorts of disagreeable expert
ences supposedly at the instigation of
this element. Mr.. Andrews was I'M
compromising in his denuncia,ion of
union methods. He believed many
unions We're controlled by minds with
o@t principle or moral obligation; that
VIC Chlht Vi ullIOIllSIII W dS
interviewer with threads of intrigue,
and the body sprinllled with fanatics,
who would not hesitate at any means
to gain their ends. He declared to the
writer that he would not be surprised
If their plant or the home of the pro-
prietor of the Times or those of his
lieutenants We're dynamited at any
time. He said they lived in constant
expectancy of something of that sort
and ne believed that many who were
connected with the unions which We're
most actively opposing them would not
hesitate at such a crime
1T IS remarkable coincidence that
the fears of Mr.. Andrews, expressed
but few short months ago We're SO
soon and SO accurately realized. For
tunately he escaped with his life, but
later dispatches from the scene of
trouble indicate that other attempts
have been made to destroy the auxil-
| larry plant as well as the homes of
General Otis and of the secretary of
| the Merchants and Manufacturers
| association. With such attempts as
this before the public, the fear is ex-
| pressed that the work of anarchists
| or labor union fanatics who have
stopped to the same means that were
| employed in the mines of the West,
may yet result in the blowing up of
| the homes of General Otis or Mr.. An
| drews.
With the responsibility of the score
| OF deaths at their door. with the added
destruction of the extensive plant of
the Los Angeles Times, labor unionsu
cannot but suffer extensively as a re-
suit of Saturdays terrible outrage.
| As we have said before, whether union
| ism is to blame or not. their we'll
known fight against the Times, and the
petty thuggery which has been report
ed previously in connection with this
| fight, would serve to fix this havoc
| upon labor union shoulders unless
| most conclusive evidence that no hui