United labor bulletin., 1913-02-20
"sERvILE TRAITORS"
Press Club Applies Name to Sub
sidized Special Writers.

Although Denver writer's and newsDa-
per reporters have never been able to
successfully maintain a union, they
sometimes display almost human intelli-
gence. This was evidenced at the last
meeting of the Denver Press club.
For several years the Sunday editions
have contained signed articles by Herb
ert kaufman and some man named
Johnston. in which the youth OF the land
is advised to get to work ahead of time,
work overtime, keep eyes off the clock
when closing time approaches, and not
to take offense if the boss wants to know
all about private life of the employe.
where he spends his evenings what
church he belongs to, if he ever takes a
drink. plays poker, or does anything else
which would have been frowned on in
Salem, Mass. when that city was at its
zenith, and when industrial independ-
ence would have meant the stocks or the
pillory.
Walter Juan Davis. author of When
Your Heels Hit Hard and Frank l.
Wright. the Jingle" man who put St.
Joseph. Mo-, on the map. framed and in
troduced the resolutions given below.
The Affirmative vote was unanimous, and
a copy was sent to every press club in
America. The resolution follows
Whereas, We have daily thrust upon
our notice in the public press of Amer
lea the writings of certain Johnston
and one Kaufman and others of that de-
generate stripe of writer's, demoralizers,
in which the youth of America are threat
ened with the deprivation of employ
ment unless they servilly accept what
employers choose to pay. and are par
ticularly warned that unless they disre-
gard their own interests and devote
themselves wholly to the fulfilling the
demands of their employers. however
unjust and inconsiderate they may be.
that they Will be practically blacklisted.
and
Whereas. in these writings there is
never mentioned any moral or other OBJ
legations on the part OF the employer TO
cency. the slave the employer would like
to make his employe, mentioning partic-
uIarly that the employe must thankfully
work overtime whenever and to what
ever extent the employer may dictate;
therefore, be it
Resolved. by the Denver Press club.
on behalf OF every earnest. conscientious
and independent worker in the newspa-
per world. that 1t regards such writer's
as subsidized. suborned and servile trait
ors TO the cause of human justice and in
dependence. and deserve the contempt
and execration of all honorable news
paper men. and further. that they should
be held as Judases and be so published
everywhere as such. We hereby recon-
mend that this or a similar resolution be
adopted by every Press club in America,
as one protest at least against the over
whelming coercion of greed and avarice
that is rapidly swamping the nation and
enslaving the decendents of our noble
forefathers. for whose. perpetual liberty
they fought and died.
A copy of the resolution was sent to
Theodore Roosevelt, member of the
Denver Press club. a friend of Davis. and
the former president sent the following
reply:
New York. Feb. Il. 1918.
Walter Juan Davis. Denver. Colo:
Dear Walt: Your letter with copy of
resolutions at hand You boys are right.
and have often wondered why you did
not take some such action. Wishing you
good luck. | am. fraternally.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"