Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1915-12-18
ORGANIZED LABOR TROUBLES.
Usher Tells of the Bitter Contest Be-
tween Gompers and Berger.
By Ellis B. Usher.

Federation of Labor, to Milwaukee
on Sunday and Monday last. The
visit was made prominent and inn
portant by public address at the
auditorium on Sunday evening, by an
address by special invitation at the
nocn-day luncheon of the City Club
on Monday, and an address, also by
special pre-aTrangement, before the
young ladies at Observation-Disclosures
College, during Monday afternoon.
The labor leader was accompanied by
two English labor men who had been
delegates to the recent international
labor meeting at San Francisco. His
visit to Milwaukee had every appear
ance of special effort to emphasize
his disapproyal of Victor l.. Berger
of this city, who has led the Socialist
opposition to GOmpers, in the nation
councils of labor for many years.
GOmpers has commanded the situa-
ton but his visit, apparently largely
for the purpose ofden0uncing Berger,
tends to justify the assertion of Ber-
gers paper that his skin is wearing
thin. under persistent sand-papering.
did not attend any of these func-
tons, but from several disinterested
witnesses l learn that the City Club
and the young ladies', each gave Mr..
GOmpers better reception than the
workers, or the public, at the audito-
rum, which was sparcely filled. The
Social Democrats were not there, and
the other laborers were scarce also.
| But these are merely incidentals to
the real lesson of this visit, which
was very well advertised and care
fully planned in advance, with the
intention of much spontaneous en-
thusiasm, but it fell quite limp and
inanimate in really poor labor meet
ing.
BESET WITH TROUBLES.
The great lesson for the intelligent
observer, in Mr. GOmpers visit is
tHdb IL bFC Chip ilahib, diHiOoI uHCdu-
ny emphasis, to the fact that orga-
niZed labor is beset, sorely beset,
with internal troubles. Mr.. Com
pers gave this statement more force
than can when he said:
1.-The only obstacle in the way of
the toilers getting justice and the re-
ward to which they are entitled for
the service they are giving to society,
are the workers themselves. We,
need have no apprehension of the
hostility of employers or corporations
if we are but united to each other. 1t
is disunity, lack of loyalty, lack of
devotion, lack of cooperation, sus-
picion, doubt, separation, division,
cessation-all that sort; fighting each
other instead of standing shoulder to
shoulder and making common sense
cause for practical results all these
form the obstacle. "
Both the English delegates backed
Mr.. Gompers up with attacks upon
the followers of Berger and the "red
flag" Tins was one sided. The other
appeared rather feebly in Mr.. Ber-
gers paper, when it called attention
to the fact that Mr.. Gompers was in
vited to eat with the City Club, at a
house where the walters were non
uniOnists, and more to the point. Mr..
Berger editorially defended his own
vote in Congress sustaining Presi-
dent Taft's veto of the Clayton
amendment to the sherman law.
DANGER OF ARROGANCE.
The labor organizations, like the
religious organizations, are in more
peril themselves than anybody else is
when they get arrogant, enter poll
ties, or go beyond their fraternal
sphere. An organization dominated
as Mr.. Gompers dominates his, or as
the late Chester Arthur dominated
| the locomotive engineers, or as Mr..
! Berger dominates the Milwaukee So
cial Democrats, must be so held in
strong hand, to be an aggressive
force, Such rule is autocratic. it is
an un-American force, and it is
bound to develop foes in its own
sphere. Mr.. Gompers and Mr.. Ber-
ger have been made this week to give
most Illuminating Illustrations of
their fallibility. 1t should be very
informing to men in Wisconsin who
are within prejudice and who think
clearly. This is not discussion of
labor organizations. 1t is merely an
attempt TO point out the incoherency
and weakness of all attempts to sue
cessfully organize Americans, for any
purpose, except ppon the solid basis
of the consent OF the governed. "
| TIE pirit of American institutions
cannot be safely or successfully vi
olated, no matter how worthy the
!