Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1911-12-28
Job Hartman
Tells Story.
Says We Will Have Civil War Unless
Work ers Are
Educated.
% 4H
DANGER COMES WHEN
PEACE HOPE Is LOST.
o.
Trades Unions and Socialists Must
Merge Political
Activities.
10y Job 3Iiarriman.)

Los Angeles, Cal, Dec. 28.-From
every quarter calls are coming for a
statement from me concerning the Nc
Namara's plea of guilty, why the plea
was made just prior to the election
and what effect it had.
/ knew nothing Whatever of the
negotiations, nor of their intention, to
plead guilty. until after their pleas
had been entered.
cannot describe how keenly / felt
the blow. 1 was convinced that it
would defeat us, but the wonderful
solidarity Of our movement, manifest
ed at our meetings. that. night, led
me to think that my first judgment
was wrong, but it was not:
Without such an experience no one
can realize how hard it was to hold
ones apparent poise and composure.
How manfully and nobly our splen-
did movement faced and handled this
great crisis. The city Of Los Angeles
owes debt Of unspeakable gratitude
to the magnificent conduct Of the
agrieved people In that trying period
following the shock of the news.
After the election. had long con-
ference with Mr.. Darrow and the
other attorneys. They showed me all
the evidence recently developed in the
case. The web had been made COM
plete. There was no escape. 1t was so
conclusive thai even ]. B. Mcnamara
could not have been placed on the
stand to deny it.
The cases would have required years
to complete. The honest working peo-
pie of this country. would have had to
pay one million dollars more for the
defense only to have had the story OF
the plea Of guilty written out at length.
3 Was that and the educational effect
of it, and all that would follow in it's
trail, the best?
Messrs. barrow, Davis, McNutt and
Scott answered NO." FL
Should they withhold their answer
because of our local campaign? Y
Again they answered 'iNo."
Was it wise and proper to give their
answer at that time or Never"
This question cannot be answered
by me. MY word could go no further
than theirs. My vision might be
clouded because was involved in the
movement and was directly affected
by the decision.
The movement must answer TINS
question. / know it will be deliberate
and fair in its final anxwer.
Now / want to say word to my
countrymen. Whenever the masses OF
mankind abandon all hope OF peace
able solution Of our social problem.
we will have present with US all the
elements that cause civil wars and
open warfare will then commence.
These men had abandoned all hope
of Il peaceable solution and thus, mis-
guided, began a guerilla warfare.
How much of this do you want?
However much we bemoan it, say to
you it will increase directly in proper
ton as. the hope Of the oppressed is
crushed.
For years have seen the hopeless
ness of such course, and at the same
time / saw why that course is some
times taken and, the warning It should
be to our great movement. nave
sown you an astounding fact, grist,
If you please, being ground from our
economic and social mill.
Now listen, while / tell you the
remedy.
The great American labor move
ment, including the Socialist party
must merge their political activities.
Their united power will inspire an
abiding hope for the philosophy OF so
cialism will furnish the reason for the
hone. and at. the same time solutioh
for the problem. $50.
In our great movement in Los
ANGELES. we have done this very thing.
The spirit Of Los Angeles movement,
WAS sweetened with the consciousness
Of its own power and knowledge OF
the reasons leading to peacelul
solution Of our social Ills. Whlle VIC
i torv was almost in our hands, the
nlea Of guilty was entered. Il was
| brought on by an act OF tne. uslenuI
ants. resulting from an aDanuoneu
| hone. arising out Of q failure 10 unaeI-
stand the causes that destroy lhe1I
hone and q failure to understand now
! r. restore and maintain that nope.
The misunderstanding influence Of dlrec1
action arising from abandoned nope
,T1safs ia apparent to any one while
a. sheneffcient Tffluence of great
s rtrll;i and economic s organization
IsT,ifh 4 hope inspired by their own
mower and with the knowledge Of So
| eial nrobleus and how to solve them
t,lf114 1Itr5 r11TtNEcF11t