New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-17
Are We in the War?

this wear would exceed 100000 acres Here
the economic pressure comedies with the pat.
riot needs of the country, for beans which
sold before the war at 81 bushel arc now
bringing 50 or $40 bushel. Whether
the motive is patriotic or economic, the result
is exactly the same II may be said so that
farmers BOYS have been enlisting just as rap.
idly as the boys of other classes Of the popu-
lation.
The Working People
What / have said of the farmers applies also
in large measure to the working people OF the
towns. ! have talked with some of the men
Sho know best the situation among them
men like Raymond Robins, who has liyei fol
FEARS in one Of the most populou'
working-class ncighborhoods IN Chicago
and Victor 0lsnder, a leader Of III.
Seamen's Union. A great proportion OF
these elements Of the population are still
either urenthusiastic about the war or
openly opposed 10 it, The influence OF
the Socialist group has been to hold back
at every new development. Al a meeting Of
the Chicago Federation OF Labor, held about
a week before Registration Day, the PROPOSE
ton 70 support the Gompers resolution OF
confidence in the administration and approx
al of the wara very mild resolutlon-there
we're bitter discussion and much opposition
Two speeches, on opposite sides, will express
the divergent views OF those present e. W.
tombstone, an Englishmsn, opposed the reso'
luton, saying:
Look where Gompers and the rest Of the
officials have led US. They have pledged Us
for war Instead of taking the stand IT has
the labor movement should have advised men
rot to register and have fought the draft
The Allies can't whip Germany, so they come
ever TO get the United States 10 help"
Foreign Element in Chicago
lie was followed By Charles Dold. Ger
man by birth, but an American by choice:
This is war for democracy" ne declared
az am with my country. right or wrong, but
my country is right My father took me
away from Germany TO avoid military on
preston, and We are now fighting TO free the
German people as the Russians have been
freed"
A considerable proportion OF those pres
ent refrained from voting, and the final vote
Of 40 in favor Of the resolution to % against
represented loyalty TO Mr. Gompers and the
trade union movement rather than real sup
port Of the war resolution.
Many of the foreign.born workers Of Chr
cago were opposed to CONSUMPTION At home
and came here TO escape il. They have an
historical resentment against it. Raymond
Robins told me that most of the Russians IN
Chicago were against the war. Many o.
the other foreigners arc from the CenIrs'
Empires Germans, Austrians, Bohemlans'
Hungarians-and have many relatives fight
ing on the other side. Many are Socialists
\ great influence I found in all the cities
was the saloon keepers. The saloon keepers
see more of the people and arc closer 10 them
than almost any other leadership. The sS-
loon is the workingrnan's place OF discus
sion. and this is especially true of the for
eigner. A great many saloon keepers are
German and Irish, both largely against '''
war. or against England. Moreover, they are
against the war because II threatens their
business; they fear being closed NJ or
having the manufacture Of liquor prohibited
They minimize the war also because It teno'
to make people careful and induces them 70
hoard their money and not to spend freely
Money put into Liberty Bonds does not come
their way.
Registered Promptly
And yet the workingmen, l.Ae the farm
crs. have not opposed the draft. but res'|
tered promptly when the time came, ana '"''
have enlisted As freely as any other eia'~
They arc at work everywhere, IN the lac
tories and mills at high wages, actually PRIV
ducing the materials for war Here aga"
economic forces all make for actual eos per
alton in war preparation, even though w
sentiment Is divided and issues are Still more
or less hazy.
II the Liberty Loan bond campaign 10"
been prosecuted with more Imagination "'N
used not only as a method OF raising n'0"',
but as an engine Of awakening the intefe''
and enthusiasm of the people muen NOR
could have been accomplished. The oo"O'
should have been issued in lower deh0'''"
lions Of see or 500, to be IN the r'">
Of every one, for every workman VINO pu!'
bond has a money stake in the war ~
n large proportion OF the worNngmeh o."
farmers, who are unaccus,omed as mass
buying securities. do not understand '"'
and have not been buying the bonds u ~
quantities.