El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-02-15

THE evolution Of organized labor
in the United States has devel-
oped a high type OF intelligence
and acumen among our skilled work
men. but large numbers remain, who
IN one important respect at least, are
gullible as the investor in green goods
or gold bricks This peculiar and pit
liable credulity IS exercised in the case
Of peripatetic lecturers who exploit
the working classes under the false
pretenSe Of advancing labOr's interests
What they seek, and all too success
fully for humanity's self-respect, is
TO make money for themselves; but
they render no service whatever to
labor or to any one else
The Chicago Tribune does a good
thing by pointing out one trick Of these
Adventures. For fifteen or more
years, il reminds US, Emma Goldman
managed to keep in the public eye by
getting herself written about in the
newspapers. Miss Goldman never ad-
vOcated violence, but she always sought
to give the impression that this was
Just exactly what she was doing She
manipulated her language so as 70 be
wrongly quoted and wrongly inter
peted by the newspapers, and then she
raised the cry Of persecution" by the
capitalist press" and the police
Nov. as the Tribune points out the
Goldman cult has fizzled out. But her
press agent art, like the mantle of
Elijah. has fallen upon the shoulders Of
a worthy disciple. This disciple is
Joseph J. EttOr who came into the
lmelight during the textile strike at
Lawrence Mass. when he was arrested
on the charge Of melting to riot in his
speeches to the strikers. This man,
who is a labor ADVENTURE, armed only
with the gift Of CAB" is now trying
to use the capitalist press" which he
processes to despise, to make him a
name as a Tabor leader In address
ing striking walters in New York the
other day he advised them that in case
they lost their strike they should re-
turn to work determined to make it
the unsafest thing in the world for a
capitalist to eat food prepared by
member OF their union" The hotel
owners took these remarks TO mean
that Ettor advised the writer's to poison
the food.
The Tribune is no doubt correct in
saying that this is precisely the con-
structiOn which EttOr wanted them 10
place on his words. It is a cOnstruc-
tion which sounded good, which was
sure 10 get space in the newspapers
Now EttOr innOcently asserts that he
was misquoted and misrepresented-
What he meant TO advise the walters
was TO use sabotage, that is spoil
the food they were handling by putting
in a handful OF salt where a pinch Of
salt was required, and not to murder
Just what he did not say IN the first
place was what he meant instead OF
safest thing in the world" EttOr does
not explain. It needs no explanation
1t has always been the policy Of the
Star to minimize the utterances and /
Of these adventures, and
it has sometimes ignored their pres /
ence in Indianapolis when their agents /
and abetteTs became very angry be I
cause the Star would not help TO fill /
their lecture halls. This was done not (
because they are friends Of labor or 4
because they are honest revOluionistsr /
but merely because they are charlatans, I
trying to make the working people be /
lieve they IRE their friends, so that /
audiences at so cents per head VIII I
turn out TO swell their III gotten gains I
No wise working man or woman Will 4
give up good money to these unscrup-
uIous grafters. who Yictimize. not only /
people, but also those cred !
ulous curious highbrows OF both sexes /
who attend the lectures, thinking that
they are enjoying a rare treat OF
some sort. whereas they are only being /
worked by some contemplate speaker /
who is too lazy to work and TOO TRICKY (
10 earn an honest dOIlar.-Indianapolis 1
Star.