The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1914-03-20
LABOR IN CHAINS.
Denial of Right to Organize Would
Rivet Shackles.
THE BARTLETT-BACON BILL.

Refusal of Congress to Exempt Organ
ICED Labor From Prosecution Under
Sherman Law Would Have Dire Eff
feots-Human Progress Menaced.
Urging the necessity of the passage
OF the Bartlett Bacon bill now pending
In congress. which aims to relieve la
Dor from trust classification through
court classification, Samuel Gompers
says:
Without further delay the citizens
Of the United States must decide
whether they wish to outlaw organ
lied labor. Only few months ago
the officials of the United Mine Work
ers were indicted under the Sherman
antitrust law because they helped the
miners of West Virginia to break the
shackles by which the mining compa-
nies held them helpless objects of ex-
ploitation
The mine operators forced the con
stituted authorities Of the state to do
their bidding The miners could ap-
peal to no one for justice. Their only
defense lay In their ability to enforce
their rights through their united or
ganized power To strip them of that
defense is the purpose Of the litiga
ton begun by the indictment charg-
ing that organization with restraint of
trade. These same officers of the Unit
ed Mine Workers have again been in
dicted under the same antitrust law
because they are helping the miners
of Colorado to resist tyranny
The indicted" officers Of the min
ers are-call II "conspiring" if you
please-engaged in an effort to rid the
state of Colorado of government by
mine guards in order to re-eStabish
civil government. government by law.
The federal grand jury's indictment
charges the officers of the miners or
ganization with establishing monopo-
ly of mine labor in the United States
and Canada and with organizing a
conspiracy to restrain interstate com
merce.
The law or the land assures to work
ers the right to organize. All who have
any knowledge of the world of indus
try concede that without organization
the wageworkers are helpless victims
Of the industrial forces that are seek
ing their own self interest.
=,
deal with weak union, for its agree
ments would have neither advantage
nor force; but, as a matter OF course,
they recognize and deal with strong
unions and adjust their business to
conform to the new situation. 1t fol
lows. then that control of all the work
ers in trade increases the success and
efficiency OF the organization in secur-
ing better terms for a greater number
of workers and in turn protects the
fair employer from competition with
producers who care not how they grind
their employees so long as they also
grind out profits.
The right to organize is a sham, Il
trick. a deceit, unless it carries with ii
the right TO organize effectively and
the right to use that organized power
to further the interests of the workers.
This implied right must be assured. If
1t is alleged that acts in themselves
criminal or unlawful are committed in
endeavors to effect organization or TO
secure the benefits OF organization, let
those acts be dealt with under process
Of law But In the name of free labor,
In the name of free government and
free society let the right to organize
never for one instant be menaced or
withheld That right is the founda-
ton upon which ali else is builded.
Why is it that our laws may be per
verted and interpreted to prevent those
who toll from doing things necessary
for their protection and betterment?
Why is 1t that men of wealth may
with impunity break laws whose mean
Ing is plain and unmistakable?
The workers of Colorado are making
fight for the right to organize, for
wages that will permit Of decent stand
dTuS VI llNlIS. luI lHe llSAL W OldCl
their own lives and to spend their
earnings for their own betterment.
They are fighting for the right to fair
trial. for the right of protection by the
laws of state and nation and for gov
ernment free and untra ammeled by or
ganized selfish interests.
The menace which threatens the
mine workers is the common danger of
the whole labor movement. Those
workers happen TO be the chosen vic
tins. Others have already experienced
the same injustice. Many others may
be made victims at the whim or desire
of any employer.