The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-06-26

A-A SoAASAAN 0O4AAECIS was 61OSS0S
too hoarse to cheer from all parts of
garments workers indicated to the M,
President Gompers said In Part:
1T is vegetable that causes exist
which make it necessary to have a
meeting like this. 1T is gratifying be-
yond measure that inasmuch as the
causes exist, you have turned out in
such numbers. It is just about five
years ago that you and others Of your
trade were assembled in this great
hall in numbers no less than here
today. On that occasion, when the
organized cloak makers and ladies'
garment workers were few in num-
Der you met to demand from your en-
ployers better wages, limited hours of
labor and improved standards Of life.
At that time believed an industrial
revolt was necessary, and I advised
and you, took the advice in the general
strike. 1t was a wonderful fight. It
taught you the lesson that only by
standing by your union in war. as
we'll as in peace will you be able to-
drive home to the employers the de-
mands labor makes in return for what
labor gives. Weeks passed in the gen.
eral strike until the protocol was
reached. This was recognized as a
means by which industrial strife
might be put in the background and
that industrial peace might reign.
Only a few weeks ago the manufact-
urers abrogated the protocol.
The manufacturers said the union
could not control it's membership,
complaining that there had been shop
strikes in violation Of the protocol.
The union did everything in it's power
tc prevent the shop strikes. The few
shop strikes were the outward protest
against conditions in half a dozen fac
tories.
Last winter, due to unemployment,
there was great suffering and hun
ger, with here and there a small bread
riot-a demand for bread, The Uni
ted States is not a perfect country,
but believe it the best on the face
of the globe. It the manufacturers
are just in their claims, then a. riot
for bread is ground for disarmament
OF the government Of the United
States.
Was Conscience Guilty.
1T seems strange to me that the
manufacturers association abrogated
the protocol three days before the
Board of Arbitrators were to meet to
consider questions in dispute. :: Was
1T a guilty conscience that induced the
employers to abrogate the protocol?
The American labor movement
wants to extend its power for good
bit wants: to. have agreements with
employers. But the labor movement
does not have to depend on agree.
ments and protocols. It will live and
prosper and grow. in spite of the
breaking Of protocols.
Do the manufacturers think. the,
| can crush your asked Gompers. "Is
it that they believe that organized la.
Dor can be smashed. In ghastl,
ghoul1sh glee, do they want to take
the lives Of the leading men of you]
Union? If this be their purpose, ther
| this is the time to tell them it can,
| be done.
Asks no Immunity for Crime.
The murder of working men ant
women In Ludlow, COL, gives me {
suspicion of what capitalists woult
like to do in New York City. We ash
no immunity for any member of or
ganized labor who is guilty Of crime
but, by the gods, we will insist tina
every degree of fairness and Justice b,
given our people.
rs it not strange that the manu-
facturers abrogated the agreemen
with the garment workers and tn,
District Attorney had these labor of
ficials indicted at approximately tn
same time? Is it not strange that tn
protocol was abrogated just three day
before the meeting Of the Arbitration
Board to deal with the alleged griev
ances Of the manufacturers? Did the
have a guilty conscience and convic
ton that the board would vote aga1ns
them?
proclaim to the world that Amer
lcan labor wants agreements wit
capital. The highest type, of tn
worlds citizenship, we believe in a.
appeal to reason. But I also proclaim
to the world that we don't have t
have agreements; we don't need Their
to. live; We can grow and prosper l.
spite of the breaking Of the protocol,
1 |
ufacturers for breaking the agreemeu
under which the industry has thrive
for five years is their claim that tn
union couldn't control it's membershi
and that in defiance of. the protoct
there had been shop strikes. Their
nave, been one or two shop strike
But the union has been quick to di.
cipline the guilty ones. But, stop!
recall that before the protocol the1
were general strikes every year cost
ing misery and hunger and sufferin
4 of all kinds. I ask the manufactu1
ers, which is worse, a shop strih
|; once in: a while in period of fiy
years, or general strikes every, on
or two years? leave the answer.
any sane human being.
Says Labor Cannot be Crushed
/ mo, the manufacturers are not 81,
cere. They want to see the unions-
this union and all other unions
! swamped. But on! the face OF IL
\ earth there exists no power that les