davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29
BEATING THE SOCIALISTS TO IT.

President Wilson has taken over
the railroads in behalf Of the gov
eminent to be operated by and in
behalf of the people Of the United
States. The question of compensa-
ton and remuneration to the stock
holders will be determined later. BY
simple but powerful order the presi-
dent has done in one day what the
old time Populists and Socialists
have been trying to. do for more than
thirty years. Woodrow Wilson is
vertically out-socializing the social
lists. They are back numbers now.
Things are moving so fast that many
of them can not keep pace with the
march of democracy. That Is why
such a large number are clinging to
the skirts of the worlds political
autocrats.
What the government of the
United States can do in time of war
it can do while at peace with the
world. If the government can sue
cessfully operate the railroads now,
during this, the greatest crisis the
world ever saw, how much better it
will be able to do the job when
there will be no war. 1t is historl-
cally true that this country never
moves backward. If the people are
watchful, and always as truly patriotic
as they are now, never again will
Wall street dominate the railroad
situation in the United States.
Government operation of railroads
means no favoritism. 1t means that
Independent concerns will get the
same deal and the same accommoda-
tions as the large trust concerns have
enjoyed. When the people once get
taste of equal rights for all and
special privileges to none," they will
never want to turn backward, and
they will realize too, how stupid we
were not to have done this thing
years ago.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29
THROUGH THE ). pE | |||'''; / i

BY a vote of 81 to ~, the Milwau-
kee Federated Trades council Endorsed
the Federal woman suffrage amend.
ment. Equal suffrage has always
been cardinal principle of organized
woman's vote on prohibition nearly
succeeded in inducing the Cream City
uniontsts to repudiate the amendment.
When will this booze influence be re-
moved from labor circles?
- -
It is estimated that the government
printing office will use 10000, 900
pounds Of paper this year.
The present coal shortage through
out the country is partly caused by
lack of railroad transportation; and
yet Frank A. Vanderbilt, the thrift ex-
pert, travels around the country in
private car.
BY vote Of 46 to IS, the senate has
passed the Shields water power bill,
giving monopolistic franchises to the
electric power interests. The house
osAAA AA0o OLA OPPO1 LulI1Iy ~ uS1cdL ILLS
sinister measure and save the natu-
raj resources for the people.
It is rumored that the senate COM
nittee's investigation Of Senator La
Follettte's St. Paul speech is going to
be quietly dropped. Why?
The city council of Kansas City has
passed an ordinance prohibiting the
employment of women as conductors
on the local street car lines.
Bob Dunn of the Princeton union
either has been misinformed in regard
to the Twin City street car situation,
or he is trying to hoodwink his read
ers.
Mayor Hylan of New York is
member of the Brotherhood OF To-
connective Engineers.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29
THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE MUST
BE HEARD.

The people of Duluth are patiently
waiting-for reduction in the price
of bread!
H. w. Zinsmaster, local admins
traitor of the Federal baking regula-
tions, has so far failed to take any
action toward standardizing the sizes
of bread loaves and reducing the
prices to basis compatible with the
prevailing flour prices.
In the Twin Cities a price of IN
cents for a 16-ounce loaf has been
established by the food committee
of the State Public Safety commits
sion; in Duluth consumers are pay
ing 10 cents for a IA and 16-ounce
loaf.
In Minneapolis and St. Paul the
bakers are we'll organized and re-
ceive good wages, while the local
breadmakers are mostly non-union
and are paid miserable wages. De-
spite this difference in the cost OF
production, Duluth people are paying
33 1-3 to so per cent more for
bread
The governments regulations
were established for the purpose OF
benefitting the people who are hit
hardest by the skyrocketing of food
stuff prices, by stabilizing profits and
curbing the tendency toward un-
scrupulous profiteering. The failure
of the local administrator to act is
rank disloyalty to the government
and the people it serves.
The daily papers, always profuse
in protestations of solicitude about
the welfare of the people, apparent
ly are indisposed to assist in procur-
ing lower bread prices However
there are many local organizations
which should consider this matter
and join forces in demanding that
profiteering by local bakers stop al
once.
Relief will come only when the
voice of the people is heard.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29
THE PRODIGAL GIRL.
III. T.. Wright in brisbane Worker

IN. E. Wright in orker
We all
And welcome him back with
And though he wreched
Say forgive In the
Does Come
I've been thus since
Or with a hand of cruel pride,
heaven and shall
O Christ
For even yet the woman purned and stoned Christian
Down the
And the
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29
INHUMAN PRISON MANAGEMENT,

Notwithstanding the agitation and
the work that has been going on for
years to improve the conditions of our
roundtngs of the inmates there are
facts constantly coming to light in the
management Of our penal institutions
which shock our sensibilities and
which convince us that there is yet
much to be done if we are to have
our prisons so conducted as to make
their management humane as con-
tributory to the retaining of 1.-THE
convict from his evil inclinations.
AS striking illustration Of how
unjust and how inhuman may be the
treatment of convicts at the present
time Is found in the report Of grand
jury investigation Of Moyamensing
Prison in Philadelphia.
The conditions described are those
prevailing in the prison Of one of the
most enlightened commemorative OF
our country and one could hardly be-.
lieve that such conditions would be
tolerated for q moment. Yet they
have been permitted for years.
So tncensed were the investigators
90 kA0 AcVOAtAuS COHUlClOnS IOuTO Cn8C
they recommended in their report rnat
the board of inspectors and the super
1ntendent of the prison "be confined
in cells and receive the same treat
ment as the prisoners until they are
brought to their senses and then they
may be better fitted to run an institu-
ton of this kind"
Without stating the findings Of the
grand jury investigators, the conclu-
sion reached was that tho convicts
should mot be confined as wild
beasts, but that they should be treated
as human beings"
1t is to be hoped that this revela-
ton will produce results that will
have a. nationwide effect and that all
state, national and municipal. authori-
ties will insist that their prisons be
managed with a due consideration for
those principles of humanity and JUS
tice that must work out only good for
society in the possible reclaiming Of
the convict.-The Garment Worker.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29
DANGERS OF SUPPRESSION

Writing in The Public, of New York,
Louis F.. Post, assistant secretary of
labor at Washington, says:
Democracy does not mean each for
himself. That is individualism of the
lowest species. What democracy
means is each for all and all for each.
Though not yet fully actualized, this
ideal of democracy is in process Of
development; and during the process
there must be pooling of individual
rights in the face of common dan
gers. Unrestrained freedoms of pub
lie meeting, public speech. and publ
cation in print, are capable Of so
much abuse in time of war~-whether
the abuse be traitorously promoted or
fatuously INDUCED in-as to be more
harmful than gun fire in the rear.
1t is true, nevertheless, that re-
straints upon freedom of speech. press
and assembly, even in a desperate war
advancing democracy, such as this
war u.s. should be imposed reluctantly.
This is as true on democratic principle
as under constitutional Interpretation.
When officialdom, whether state or
national. rushes~ imperiously into sup
pressions of individual liberties, it ex-
poses itself to reasonable suspicious
of over-eagerness to seize opportuni-
ties for exercising despotic power and
thereby. creates democratic undercur-
rents of distrust. It stimulates dan
gerous doubts-none the less danger
Gus for being unexpressed--of the
democratic intent OF our national
purpose in the war.
Such undercurrents may prove more
obstructive to our war activities than
most Objectionable agitating agencies
could be If let alone. The suppress
sion, for instance, by two governors in
succession Of public meetings which
assumed-mistakerll and probably as
to some of their promoters worse
than mistakenly-tO represent public
opinion. was pregnant Of more harm
to the nations cause than the meet
ings could possibly have done. With
out that extra officious zeal, those
meetings, their aloofness from the
common thought exposed, would have
fallen flat in public estimation. In
stead Of weakening war sentiment,
they would thereby have operated to
strengthen it.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29
l!Why Not Punish the 1raItors?l
'(Fr0m the Mesaba Ore. }

President Wilson's special commits
sion. which investigated the indus
trial Workers of the World Riot" at
Bisbee, Arizona, last July. has found:
That 1t was not an Industrial
Worker movement at all; that the
striking copper miners were largely
members of the unions affiliated with
the American Federation Of Labor:
That the miners were justified in
the course they attempted;
That the arrest and deportation of
a thousand citizens by the people,
elected officials of Arizona and others
without. authority was a laWless pro.
ceeding. unwarranted and in direct
opposition to the laws of the state
and the constitution;
That the lawlessness was Matched
up by the copper mining companies
who were not satisfied with bleeding
the government but who sought to
disrupt the labor unions that were
gaining foothold in the copper min
ing districts;
mat the mining company stories
sent broadcast over the land to the
effect that it was an Industrial
Workers of the World attempt to
gain possession Of the mines and the
towns, was for the purpose of blind
ing the people to the real cause of
the trouble.
AS whole, the commission learned
that the copper magnates took the
law into their own hands, organized
a mob OF disreputable persons and
n
respectable people out of town
working men who had formed q union
tor the purpose Of gaining a share of
the increased profits Of the mining
companies to help them meet the
ever-increasing cost of their living.
The Industrial Workers of the
World being in disrepute, largely by
capltalistic newspaper effort, was
used as blind by the mining COM
pany thugs, and they seem to have
gained their point.
What next? Is the government to
permit these Big Business buccaneers
to go scot free, to repeat the law
less performance at any time the
miners show signs of revolving at OBJ
preston? Looks that way, and the
AoO1No NJ oculHS Ieu socialism IN
this country.
There is no instance on record
where any labor organization has
shown the utter disregard Of con-
stituted authority that was displayed
by the Bisbee mine owners, where a
more disloyal and traitorous action
was in evidence. yet they remain I'M
molested while the courts are clogged
up with cases against members of
labor unions whose worst offence is
that they talked too much.
Let's be fair-try to be, ANYWAY.
If it is right to punish one class of
law-violators, why not punish all of
them? Solutions language is a lesser
offense than seditious action. and
there should, be no escape from
either.
The government must depend upon
the laborer to win this war, and it
should protect: him against such
greedy monsters as those of the con-
per mining districts Of Arizona.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29
A VERY GENEROUS CHIEF.

At last Chief McKercher has made
a public statement as to the owner
ship of the Marmon automobile used
by the police department, in answer
to a query made by the Federated
Trades Assembly.
The chief asserts he obtained pos
session Of the car by trading in a
five-passenger auto owned by the city
and paying $500 additional, claim
ing he paid the latter sum with his
own money:
The people d Duluth can now come
to but one conclusion: Chief Nc
kercher is an unusually generous and
philanthropic Individual, or his mind
is somewhat unbalanced, for he claims
to have expended nearly two.thirds
of a years salary for car, which
sum will become almost an absolute
loss to him through deterioration OF
the car while being used by the city.
1t is disgrace for a city the size
of Duluth to have had commissioners
who compelled an employe Of the city
to pay, with his own money, for an
! automobile, to be used in the perform
ance OF his duties. If the chief re
quired such car, as he says he did
1t was the duty of tho city commits
sioners to provide one.
1t is significant that the statement
made to the council Monday doesn't
harmonic with expressions Of the
chief made some time ago in a casual
manner to several people.
Although this affair has ostensibly
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29
TURN ON THE HOME LIGHTS.

The American Issue: The Denver
(Colo.) Gas company had surprise
in store for 1t as a result OF the voters
putting the saloons OF that city out
of commission. The gas company
feared that it would lose $4,000 a
month because Of darkened barrooms.
The surprise came when the books
were audited and the company found
that It had made q gain the first
dry month Of $10,oo0.a William J.
Johnson explained the result thus:
For every closed saloon, in a hum
dred homes the lights arc shining for
the, fathers who formerly frequented
their families" * .. ~,
What q cheerful commentary. 1T, ia!
Wherever saloons, are darkened the
homes are Frightened. 4 ~ = 49, x, u,
!: Give us more darkened saloons and
turn on the home lights. h s@ a q.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29

been closed. by clearing the chief Of
any questionable conduct, 1t is not
improbable that time will develop
some interesting phases, which at the
present time may be withheld from
the people, r.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29

When the demand for the abolition
Of tho wages system Sets strong
enough the capitalists do . lot of
wage tinkerine. @I ! ]: ..s $t s &. =
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29
BIG PROFITS IN THEATERS.

PHILADELPHIA, Dec 27.-In q
law suit between KlaW and Erlangei
and the Shuberts, theatrical manag-
ers. it was shown that in four years
these parties divided net profits of
$543, $4,000 from five theaters in this
city.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29
PAINTERS RAISE WAGES.

ROCHESTER,, N. Y. Dec. 81
Organized painters and paper hang
ers have prepared new wage scale
to take effect April l, 1918. Rates
are 1920 day with a work week Of
A hours 49,
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29
WHAT OTHER PAPERS. SAY
CONSCRIPT WEALTH.

Milwaukee Leader: It is reported
that England intends to conscript
$1o,ooo,o00,oo0 from the rich men of
that country and use the amount to
pay off the war bonds.
This report may or may not be
true. But the idea is a good one.
It Is one that might we'll be applied
in this country.
1t is possible that the taxation Of
war profits and large incomes would
furnish sufficient amount both to
pay the running expenses of the war
and to retire the bonds.
But. if not. the reported British
method should be used. These bonds
ought not to be left to become a bur-
den upon future generations The
interest itself is crushing sum.
BY conscripting a sufficient amount
OF wealth, they can all be paid off at
one time and leave the nation entirely
free from debt.
And nobody would feel it at ALL
Certainly the poor. who would thus
be relieved from carrying the inter-
est. would not feel any bad effects
from it. They would feel only good
results.
As for the rich, from whom the
wealth would be conscripted, they
also would not feel it. OF course they
would strenuously object. But they
have vastly more wealth than they
can possibly Use, and they would
therefore not feel any i'll results from
the process. Any results that they
might feel would be good results. As
a matter of fact. it would probably
not take enough of their wealth to do
them any particular good, but, If it
should be sufficient to cause any of
them to reduce their high living, it
would be good for them.
This would pay the bonds without
taking anyone's earnings from him.
For, it goes without saying, that
the rich have not earned their wealth.
No one can get rich by earning
money. He can not get rich by saw
ing his own money. He can only get
rich by saving other peoples money
The rich, therefore are not entitled
to their wealth at all. It belongs to
society. And this is one way in which
society can use a little Of it's own
money to good advantage.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29
FIRST TO BE LAUNCHED.

The Sedalia Leader: The labor
haters of Seattle, Wash. sailing
under the name Of Chamber Of Com
merce, whose tribe can be found
wherever you may go, showed their
natural instinct and small caliber
when they refused or ignored the
launching Of the first ship to be COM
pleted under war contract. because
the work on the vessel had been done
by union labor throughout.
Although this was the S3rd on the
list Of ships to be let under the con-
tract, it was the first to be completed
which refutes the argument Of the
croakers that union labor and union
conditions interfere with efficiency
and hamper production.
The Central Labor council of Seat
tie had charge of the launching OF
this union constructed ship and orga-
nized labor in the northwest showed
their patriotism by turning out by the
thousands while. the labor 11aters and
pie-biters skulked in their stores and
offices.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29
\ NATURAL RIGHT OF WORKERS.

Superior Telegram: Postmaster
General Burleson wants to abolish the
unions Of post office employees. Let
ter carriers don't need any unions,
says Burleson, because they are work.
ing for the government, not private
employers. Public opinion" is a SUI
ficient protection for government en-
ployes. AYERS Burleson.
"Public opinion" when prodded by
the demands and arguments of an ef-
ficient employees organization may
protect government workers. But
public opinion" left to itself will do
nothing. The proof of this is that
public opinion" has done nothing for
many years to help the government
worker. who during that time has
been giving service for the same rate
Of pay, although the purchasing
power of a dollar has gone down
greatly. Under present conditions
government employees are among the
worst exploited groups of workers, in
the United States, and Uncle Sam has
unwittingly become a sweat-shop OPP
orator
So much. for: public opinion" as a
substitute" for an employees union
But this is not the real answer to-
Burleson. The real answer is a
higher one, not matter Of wages and
the increases thereof. Collective bar
gaining and the right to organize have
higher values than can be expressed
in dollars and cents. Denial of these
rights is a theft of the privileges Of
manhood and womanhood in a free
republic.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-29
THE GREATEST INSTITUTION.

Newport Labor Herald: One of the
greatest problems now confronting
the American people is the home. how
to keep. the family from drifting away
FROM it and its soothing influences. In
the preservation of the home, In the
fullest sense of its meaning, lies the
death warrant of the divorce evil.
Home is beyond doubt the greatest
institution for the development of
good citizenship, good government
and true religion that there is. 1t can
not be created nor maintained with
out mutual affection. effort and self
denial. It Is a mans special duty to
make the home and woman's to keep
it, not just a place to eat and sleep.
but always little circle bound ny
love, set apart from the rest Of the
world, whose influence eufolds it's
members in shield of morality and
good citizenship that safeguards them
through life. Briefly stated the home
is the greatest institution of our land,
there the children are born and
reared, there they grow to manhood
and womanhood. From it they go
out into the world to take part in all
the activities OF life. according to
their ideas and training as instilled
while resting under the parental tree.
The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-03-10
BONE DRY Law IS iRIEfFEcT
Attorney General Brewster CONFIDENT
Statute VIII be ukheId-Signed
in Joint Session.

Topeka-Arrangem were made
by state officials to have the new
Bone Dry" bill printed IN the first
edition OF the Official state paper and
it became a law Immediately.
The bill is considered one of the
most drastic prohibition measures en-
acted into law by any state and tenn
persnce leaders are confident that
Kansas viii be as free from the liquor
traffic as it can be made through the
agencies Of the state government.
S NJ. Brewster, attorney general.
stated that he believed the new law
to be within the scope of the Webb
Kenyon law and will stand the tests
Of the courts
Before joint session Of the house
and senate, Governor Capper signed
the Bone Dry" bill. 1t was the first
time in the history of the state that
a bill has been signed by a governor
outside Of his executive office. Fol-
lowing the signing of the bill, the leg
islators joined in singing How Dry
1 Am
No act in my term as governor
has given me greater pleasure than
the signing Of this BILL" said the gov
ernor, following a very brief intro
duction by Speaker Keene. Il be-
heve 1 am about to sign the most i'm
portant enactment of this legislature.
No measure before this legislature
has met with more general satisfac-
ton or more unanimous approval than
the passing Of this law. 1 believe
this law Will bring about mo-e effect
I've enforcement of the Prohibitory
law and viii come nearer cleaning out
the bootlegger and jointist than any
measure ever written
That is not all. There & another
satisfying phase This bill seems 10
have met the most genera approval
from members of all parties and en-
phasizes the sentiment for prohibj-
ton IN Kansas, regardless of party
or creed
The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-03-10
INTERESTING FACTS

Gold has been discovered at Speci-
men Reef, Long Plains. Tasmania. A
company will be formed to exploit the
new fields.
Construction has been started in
China on a light railway to connect
Swallow and Changhn, by way OF
Chenghai. The cars will be small, as
they will be pushed by men.
In the front Of a large London build
ing there was recently found pigeons
nest made of hairpins.
Broadway is TO try the army cock
tail, popular among soldiers at the Dor
der. It is made OF whisky and bitters,
with an onion at the bottom Of the
glass.
A system Of shorthand writing for
the Chinese language has been invent
ed in Hongkong, a speed OF 40 words
q minute having been acquired by the
inventor who is teaching his method.
The Chilean congress has authorized
the sale OF certain nitrate lands be
longing to the government Of Chile.
The exact method OF sale, whether by
public auction or In private, has not
yet been announced