New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-22
W. SECRETARY
NDORSES SABOTAGE
Tells Industrial Relations
Commission II Is Be-
ing Forced.
GOMPERS HECKLES
SOCIALIST HlLLQUIT
uu 7 B. Hartman Questions
Aqitators on Capital and
Government.

ss,rcn for the fundamental causes
=, ,,sustrsai unrest. the United States
mission on Industrial Relations yes
Ns.rs representatives OF the So
,.r,. Marty. the American Federation OF
rd the Z W. w. The commission
ust n city Ball
,,-,,,re OF Mrs. T. Borden Hartman,
,,,.- OF the commission. seeking
view, Of government and capital from
.,.r,,srs Of the T. W. w. and Socialists.
.,,,ost as startling ss some of tho
answers she got
~. beckung Of Morris HiIlquit, the au-
,bo-sxed representative OF the Socialists
NV Samuel Gompers, OF the American
rsssraton OF Labor, was another piot-
u,sSuue incident Of the session
Vincent ST. John, Of Chicago, for six
wars the general secretary and treasurer
=, tho I W. W. and a powerful leader OF
thst body, was the first witness. He said
the object Of the organization was 10 con-
troll the country's industries, so that the
Profits would go TO the workers and not
10 "the parasitical class"
"How do you expect TO attain that
srdT' asked Frank p. Walsh, chairman
Of the commission.
at will come out gradually" said the
W. W. leader; but, in any event. the
and iustifes the means. II sabotage Is
accessory. all right; II destruction OF
property IS necessary, ell right Those
means are forced upon US. The I. w. W..
does not advocate the destruction Of hu-
man life 10 gain n certain point, but we
are Just coming TO realize that the
wealthy have been supporting themselves
BIZ draining the muscle and energy of the
workers. without respect for their prop
.rty. and we don't intend to show any re-
Uect for the property Of the wealthy If
It's disregard will aid US 10 gain our
point"
II would like to ask you" said Mrs,
Hartman. what is the attitude Of your
organization toward the government"
We'll" answered st. John, ''it looks on
the government as committee to look
after the interests of employers. That
He added that with the I. w. w. IN con-
troll the President of the country could
die Of dry rot
Morris Hulquit. after outlining his
views on socialism, was taken in hand
by Samuel Gompers.
Mr.. Hillquit said he thought the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor was behind the
times in its methods. lie said that he was
not In favor Of destroying it, and that
Eugene V. Debs, three times Presidential
candidate on the Socialist ticket, did not
speak for the party when he advocated
the disruption Of the American Fedora
ton Of Labor.
"It is quite useless" said Mr.. Hillquit
40 quote Mr. Debs in his attitude toward
the American Federation Of Labor Mr.
Debs took part in the organization OF the
I ". w. l think he has now lived TO re-
greet IT, The Socialist party at no time
jndorsed the I. w. W. as against the
American Federation Of Labor. How
ever. the Socialist party does believe that
the leadership OF the American Fedora
ton OF Labor is somewhat archaic and
inefficient"
German workmen were much better off
than American. Mr.. Hillquit asserted.
Under present conditions, he said. the
children Of the working class in America
are doomed 10 ignorance, toll and dark
ened lives. The witness said he did not
believe a social cataclysm would be neces-
sary to bring the reforms his party advo-
Gated. There would be a change. OF
course. and 1t might be called revolu-
ticn, but that did not mean bloodshed' he
said.
Isn't il inevitable" asked Mrs. Harri-
man. "even under your system. that some'
by reason Of their mentality and driving
force. will be able 10 forge ahead more
quickly than others? That being So how
are you TO prevent capitalistic classT
There is no objection on the part OF the
Socialists" was the answer. ito proper
reward for work our objection is to men
Of inferior mentality getting ahead simply
because of the ownership Of tools OF capi-
tai The man who inherits stocks or
bends can live without brains"