The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-07-20
THE DUTY OF ORGANIZED LABOR

1t Is the plain duty of the American
Federation of Labor to use every con.
celVable effort to restore industrial
conditions to a working basis where
ever disturbances are found. This
is so important to the country, as
well as to the Federation that it
seems hardly necessary to advance an
argument in support. 1t must be APP
parent to Samuel Gompers, who has
shown patriotic devotion as well as
loyalty to the cause of labor in urging
the Federation to the view that this
war must be won or the cause of labor
will go to the rocks along with the
country. There can be no other result.
If the followers of Mr.. Gompers will
solidify. use their best efforts to bring
a settlement of troubles and failing in
that. to bring workers into districts
where their organizations have become
disrupted, then we will progress much
faster toward peace. If this is done 1t
may not be necessary for the govern
ment at Washington to exercise the
drastic measures with which it is en-
powered and which will certainly be
used If industrial conditions are not
restored very soon.
The situation at Butte has become
intolerable If it concerned the affairs
of that city alone, we would be dis
posed to let the fight 60 on until the
opposing elements came to terms.
While Montanans naturally suffer in
commercial sense from the suspen-
sion of mining at Butte. yet under
ordinary conditions it is not an issue
| on which the state may take sides.
The situation now is quite different.
The country is at war; copper is
badly needed by the government,
which has arranged price for the
product. The strike has become an
issue in which 1t is the business of the
people, because it has important bear
ing on the greatest business in which
this country was ever involved. thai
OF saving it's liberties. Peace is re-
tarded by just that period of time in
which industrial disturbances prevail.
The strikes in Butte, in Arizona. the
lumber camps, and at other points are
vital blows to the preparation of our
country for war, a work most difficult
under the best conditions.
There Is danger to organized labor
in this situation. 1t is a fight of
selfpreservation for the Federation of
Labor in Montana. If the miners in
Butte, who are affiliated with the /.
w. W., keep the mines closed for n
considerable period, the Montana Fed
Grafton of Labor will become disrupted
from end to end and everything that
has been gained in the struggles of
years for the benefit of organized labor
will be lost. We know well that the
strike is being conducted in Butte
without the approval of the Feder-
alton, but that is not enough. The
Federation must use all its efforts to
break this strike and bring men into
the field to do the work that the gov
eminent demands. This is a patriotic
duty. but it is also a necessity to the
Federation if it would save itself.
The I. w. W. confession Of faith
should be quite as revolving to organ
lied labor as it is to every sane, honest
and industrious citizen. Confiscation
is the corner stone of !. w. Wism, for
they declare that they will not rest
until they have the earth. They are
not interested in working for wages;
they are revolutionists who seek to
change conditions so that they NAV
confiscate the property of others. No
man outside their lines has been more
viciously assailed by them than Mr..
Gompers and none has been more Wig
orous in condemning their methods.
The union working men of Montana
should get together in a convention
and fight these syndicalists until the
mines are again in operation. That is
their duty and unless they follow this
! line they may find their organization
| swept from their control by their
enemies who are blocking the way of
| our nation at war.
The more some people tell us the