Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-26

public men anxious to retain offices OF
honor and trust has been found in the
fact that in several communities IL votes
solidly in blocks Of scores or hundreds
for those who cater to 1t and against
those who refuse to bow to its demands;
but / call your attention to the fact
that, besides multitudes in the cities
and towns whose interests are leopard
lied by its eXaCtions. there are upward
u zoo 900 voters in the rural portions of
his State whose welfare can only be
protected by holding the members of
the labor union to the same non-interfer-
ence with the rights Of others and the
same accountability to law which they
admit as governing themselves. They
win certainly claim that the labor union
men, individually and collectively, are
no better and have no greater rights
than they.
I will add that II is no answer at all to
say that labor can not get its rights
in any other way than by a strike and
boycott. The courts are as open to the
labor union man as to the farmer, and
there is not the slightest reason why the
after should be required to settle his
difference in the States way, which in
lures no third party and that the labor
union man be left free to damage every
,1ody else while settling his difference
by a strike,
He, therefore, who would remain in
public life would do well to merit the
approval Of those myriads OF -abid-
ing and peaceloving citizens beside
whose numbers the labor unions is a
trifle.
Calls II Labor Trust"
Finally, on this subject. 1 will observe
that the trend of the laws Of the present
day Is to the suppression of combina-
tons, generally styled trusts. organized
for the restraint Of trade. These trusts
are condemned by law because they
endeavor to force from business all com.
petitors save those in their guild and to
exact out of the people unduly high
prices for products they handle.
Yet, while it is a matter Of public note
that the labor trust is the most wide
spread and aggressively exacting trust in
America, politicians pander to It, states
men stand in awe Of it, and the public
seems helpless in its grasp. Why? Be
cause II votes in blocks OF thousands in
almost every State in the Union 1t is
composed of allied organizations which
stand as one man against all other ele-
ments Of society.
Recent events have shown that some
Of the leaders of one of these organiza- :
tons have been sentenced by a United
States Court to Imprisonment for
crimes or violence against those who
did not yield to their exactions and the
members have bailed them out and re-
elected them to high offices in the or
ganization. Such a development Is ap-
paliing to every lover Of law Yet il is
an object lesson which tells more Wv
idly than words that the labor union
holds itself as being higher than the
law.
Unions In Minority.
The labor unions have but a small
minority OF the people of Georgia, vet,
by com binations which work through
strikes and kindred methods, they are
aggresslvely levying a toll upon all the
other elements of our citizenship In
other words, they have organized a
trust and demand that all other people
buy labor at whatever price they choose
TO put upon it-and that price is higher
than other workmen in like occupations
receive and higher by far than the peo-
pie have ever paid before And con
poraneously, they are endeavoring
10 force from employment all similar
Workmen who do not join their orders.
To attempt, as non union men, to COM
pete with them as laborers means to be
treated with open contumely, attended
sometimes by personal violence. To
hlre nOn-unlon men means for employ
ers to be boycotted and not infrequent-
property.
Equal Opportunity choked.
therefore, as the labor unions have
combined against all other classes in
their determination to defeat the equal
lty OF opportunity assured by the laws
of the State the necessity is forced
All other classes to stand together
IN the refusal to concede to the unions
the preferential privileges they are en-
deaYoring to exact for themselves alone
And. as the unions have their pass
words, the password of all other citi-
zens should be: The Law"
1t is not improper here for me to de-
clare that not all of the members Of
the labor unions are wilful violators of
law A very large percentage of them
love their State and would not know
ingly do any one an injustice. Yet they
are the victims of a system which is
u-n hnu ra1V IL
put the states Constitution in con-
tempt. which has relentlesly wronged
hundreds of thousands of their fellow
citizens who have not offended them,
which, in plain words, has applied
lynch law methods to millions of dol
lars worth OF property. / pass no harsh
criticism on them, but every person
who reyerences the law must condemn
the reckless disregard OF the rights of
the public which has characterized
their leaders. And the State must,
with unmistakable c1earnes not only
condemn these acts, but must force the
doors Of them as clearly to know that
she will not suffer such occurrences to
Law Should Protect"
1t is cardinal principle of civiliza-
tion that law abiding people should be
protected in the enjoymentS of life,
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness
The state does not interfere with her
orderly citizens in the possession Of
AAACSC 1 ASAANSf anu II Is the iultilL OF H6I
Constitution that no one within her
borders shall be permitted SO to inter
fere.
have no more interest in this matter
than has any other average citizen Of
Georgia. but, as her Chief Executive
whose duty TO obey her laws by en-
forcing them is supreme over every
ambition and personal interest, 1 have
noted the recurring instances of open
contempt Of her Constitution, of incon-
venience and damage reCklessly in
hicted upon multitudes OF her citizens
by one class, and of brutal assaults upon
working men who were engaged in obey
ing her laws and serving the people by
operating the public utilities which she
had chartered and whose operation she
had commanded, and l would be I'M
worthy Of the confidence with which the
electorate has honored me should l fail
to lay these facts before you and can
upon you to enact such statutes as will
force all classes and all individuals to
equal allegiance TO the State and equal
obedience TO her laws.
Upwards Of two millions Of people in
Georgia will look with no patience upon
the continuance of a condition which
leaves their basic rights in life at the
mercy OF the star chamber Of the labor
union.
Compulsory Arbitration.
Under the conditions l have por-
trayed il has been made the duty OF
the State, therefore, to protect her citi-