The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1910-09-02

There is seldom a day passes but
somewhere In our country from n TO
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
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 ~ mill
lion Americans protest against the
growth Of this crime-tainted organlza-
ton comprising perhaps n and one
half million men, Of which 1t Is est1-
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, tust 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 Is to Is
1000 - -nrfh In foes
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 excites 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 $3.50. 90
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 81
But the managers Of the American
Federation of Labor have worked
hard and long to harness them.
The trust has sent small bales OF
none and last winter 18 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 o
these "%organIzers" left Battle Greek
on May LIST 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 bis
Labor Trust.
In Philadelphia some 1000 indepen
dent street car men, who mainly hac
families, had their own union and re
fused to join the big trust, preferrins
to he free to work or not as they
pleased.
But the trust planned to force then
into the fee-paying ranks. 80 a strike
was ordered to compel the tractor
company to kick out these men ant
hire only Labor Trust members.
It was not a question Of wages o.
hours but to push the free men out o
their positions where they were earn
ing good money to support their FAM
lies. The strike was ordered. not &
raise wages or reduce hours, remem
Der, but solely to throw out member
of an Independent union and maxi
places only for Labor Trust members
and thus show the independent mel
they could not earn a living unless
they first paid fees to the trust man
ayers.
Incidentally the people of Philadel
phia must submit to n car service
rioting and bloodshed with million
! In losses while these fee-hunting, note
riety seeking trust leaders were teach
ing the world that industry cannot b
carried on except by workmen VIII
first bend the knee. bow the head an
pay fees.
How these men as strike leader
love to see their names In the DaDer