Denver labor bulletin., 1915-04-17

puI lhe systSem Dehind the strike which
caused this industrial cataclysm.
But with our dead honorably and de
Gently buried and our own tears wiped
away, we may pause to consider the
effects.
The workers of the earth gained by
that day. Twenty people died that
twenty million might profit. The score
OF little mounds in southern Colorado
which mark the last home of that brave
band constitute the monument which la
Dor the wide world over has raised to
| itself.
| Capital realized, when it was too late
to save the twenty, that it had gone too
far. 1t realized that it had brought down
the avalanche of criticism on its head.
1t was certain that retribution stalked
in the wake of Ludlow.
The system behind Ludlow trembled
in its pillars and to its foundations The
men responsible for that system either
apologized for it or deserted 1t. The
newspapers, the magazines, the speakers
in the public places assailed it.
Having seen the disastrous aftermath
of this one Ludlow, capital will not soon
care to have another.
The Investigations which grew out of
it have proved the greatest asset to Ia
Dor and unionism. The contentious of
the workers have been proved correct.
Labors stories of that bitter day have
been substantiated to the justification
and uplift of the masses. Yet, of course,
without Ludlow there would have been
no investigation, no public Indignation,
no nation wide clamor which reached
across the country and rang in the ears
OF the farthest supporter of the system.
Attempting to forget and efface Lud,
low, capital is already seeking to make
amends. 1t displays an anxiety to pla-
cate which was not noted in the days be-
fore Ludlow. 1t is afraid of the senti.
ment aroused; it is diligent in soothing
the public wrath; it is loud in the pro.
testation that it wants to be jusst and
fair.
Capital lost public approval at Ludlow
and is solicitous to regain it. The fires
which burned women and children and
their homes also consumed the last
shred of respect which the people had
for the man who walks to vast wealth
over the bowed and sweating backs Of
his employees.
The lead which snuffed out the lives
OF the men also moved down the glamor
which the people had inadvertently
built up around the man of riches.
The nation awoke to the fact that the
workers had their rights which for too
long had been unrecognized. The man
who creates wealth must be reckoned
with in the distribution of wealth. And
all the people stood ready to admit that
the worker who only asked n hearing
from the employer ought TO be granted
that hearing rather than to be attacked
with fire and sword.
In places other than Colorado the les
son OF Ludlow will bring its fruits The
large employer of men will not pursue
those paths which might lead him toward
another Ludlow in his own business lie
will meet with his men on n kindlier.
commoner ground. He will discuss trade
questions and trade possibilities in
friendlier spirit. He will not attempt to
shoot his ideas into his employe, lest the
disgrace and displeasure which fell upon
the creators of Ludlow also fall upon
him.
No strike was ever waged in vain
Every effort put forth by labor. each in.
dividuafs suffering and each unions
energy, has carried the whole movement
just that much forward
The Colorado strike. waged for months
and years until it grew to be the great
est industrial struggle Of all time, has
brought too many rewards and better
ments to be referred to even for n mo-
ment a lost cause. Not only did il
create improved conditions for the Colo
RADIO miner of the future, but IL ad-
vanced the cause of labor in every place
where there is intelligent labor and hon.
est, thoughtful capital.
And Ludlow was the high place in
the strike-the climax, the elimination
OF the whole affair-then il may be said
that Ludlow brought these things to
pass.
The American revolution which freed
n nation had its battle of Lexington
The Colorado strike, which brought about
its revolution because it showed capital
the better way, had its Ludlow.
Then Ludlow is the Lexington of in.
dustryl
On this April 90, and on every April
20 TO come. we must honor the twenty
who died there. We must keep n place
green in our hearts for them. We must
rear n monumet to them and care fol
those they left behind. They gave then
all for the cause they loved They might
work better, live better, prosper better
And they succeeded better than they
knew. :.
Let us honor them because they were
the minutemen of unionism.