United labor bulletin., 1911-07-27

For right is right, since God is God,
And right the day must win,
To doubt would be disIoyaIty,
To falter would be sin.
-Faber.
From Los Angeles last October came
the news that terrible catastrophe had
occurred in that city-that the Los An
eeIes Times building had been destroyed,
with the loss of a number of lives. The |
first word spoken, even before the flames |
had completed their destruction, by the |
emissaries of the Times contained posi- |
tive declarations that organized labor
was responsible for the disaster. Quail |
tying statements were conspicuous by
their absence. Wide publicity was given,
warped and unsupported allegations
against the organized workmen of the en-
tire country were featured, vast sums of
money were dangled in the faces Of un-
scrupuIous men to fasten the crime upon
some member or members of the trade
unions. The National Manufacturers as
sociation, fanked by the Erectors' asso-
ciation, Citizens alliances, detective
agencies and a hostile press, brought
their every influence to bear and appro-
priated every available circumstance to
buwark and fix in the public mind
mental attitude that the charges made
against organized labor had been proven
beyond the peradventure Of doubt.
The authors of the charge, after
months of intrigue and searching inves-
legations, utterly failed to substantiate
the famboyant and positive accusations
that had been made. The public mind
was slowly emerging from the hypnotic
spell in which it had been enveloped and
mutterings of suspicion began to be heard
against the originators of the indict-
ments against labor men. The position
of the hostile employers associations be-
came exceedingly desperate. The Times
management, with its years of relentless
warfare against humanity. fearing that
its Belshazzar feast of organized labor's
blood was about to be denied, redoubled
its efforts. and demanded that a sacrifice
must be furnished that its unholy appe-
tite might be appeased. specifying that
some union workman or workmen must
be supplied TO assuage its unnatural and
abnormal hunger.
The record OF events is too well known
TO make II necessary to recount them in
detail. That the end jusufes the
means" became the slogan. is patent.
With all the forces of greed compactly
Joined. there began campaign OF van
dalism the like of which has never be-
fore found lodgment on the pages of our
American republics history. A promi
nent member of union labor was selected. I
finger OF suspicion had never before
pointed whose life had been character
ized by an uprightness OF purpose and
loyalty TO the cause Of labor, and whose
activities in every walk had drawn TO
him the commendation OF his fellows To
give the stage the proper setting and TO
involve other trades than the ironwork-
ers. J. B. Mcnamara. the brother. was
selected for the sacrifice.
int sa1G
disregard for all forms of law. applying
individual force. conniving with faithless
officials, the two McNamaras were
rushed in feverish haste to the scene of
the alleged crime. The rights of these
two men have been trampled upon, will
fully, fragrant anly wantonly.
Every man. even the meanest, under
the constitutional guarantees of our
country, is entitled to trial by jury of
his peers and every man is presumed to
be innocent until proven guilty. Thus
far the proceedings have been outside
the pale of those guarantees. The charge
has been lodged against organized labor.
and two OF its members are now before
the bar to answer to these charges. What
is the duty of the organized labor move
ment? What shall be our course? What
efforts shall we put forth to see TO it
that justice shall finally obtain?
The intellect. heart and soul of the
men OF labor yield to no body or class of
citizens in their fidelity in obedience to
the law, and their history is replete with
Instances of sacrifice that humanity may
be protected II within the ranks of la |
Dor there are those who commit infrac-
tions of the law. then they should be |
punished. but there should not be insti-
tuted double standard of justice-one
for the wealthy malefactor and another
for the workman.
The organized labor movement believes |
that the McNamaras are innocent Upon |
that belief there devoIves upon us an
other duty The accused men are work |
men. without means of their own to pro-
vide a proper defense The assault is |
made against organized labor equally |
with the McNamaras. If we are true to
the obligations we have assumed, II 1t |
is hoped to forever settle this system of
malicious prosecution of the men of la
Dor. our duty is plain.
Funds must be provided to insure al
fair and impartial trial. Eminent coun-
sci has been engaged. Arrangements (
are proceeding that proper defense 1
may be made. The great need of the |
hour is money with which to meet the |
heavy drains incident to the collection
of evidence and other necessary expense. |
Every man who was connected with |
the kidnapping of the McNamaras will be |
prosecuted to the full limit of the law.
1t is proposed that the interests of or
ganized labor shall be fully protected. |
and punishment meted out to detective
agencies that assume to be superior to
the law. The rights of the men of labor |
must and shall be preserved. |
The men of labor unlike the hostile |
organizations arrayed against us, have
not vast sums of wealth to call upon. but
they are imbued with the spirit OF JUS
tice and are ever ready to make sacri- |
fee for principle.
The trial OF the McNamaras is set to
commence on Oct II, In the name OF
Justice and humanity all members OF our
organizations are urgently requested toi