New-York tribune., 1917-09-04

BUTTE, Sept 3.-Butte is industrislly
slumberng volcano. Under a super
fetal calm. maintained by the bayonets
Of a battalion Of soldiers who are
known TO be eager and ready 70 shoot
TO kill with rest the moment the oc-
cssion arises, the fires of class and
race and labor organization hatred Of
intense loyalty and extreme disloyalty,
Of constructive Americanism and de-
structive alienism burn fercely
Side BY side with the most intense
patriotism to be found in America IS to
be found the most effective pro-German
plotting in the whole country. The
same city that outdid in its Liberty
Loan subscriptions a state that was by
far the most financially patriotic IN the
Minneapolis Reserve district, that gave
generously to the Red Cross, that sent
volunteers to the front as few other
cities in the Republic. also shelters
disloyal alien element that, working
hand in glove with the disloysl l. W.
W, has been the agency OF inficting
most serious wound on the body indus
trial of the nation.
A fabby District Attorney has per-
mitted slackers TO flourish and let the
seditious Little talk himself into the
moose Of lynchers, whose outraged
Americanism could stand no more. And
yet tho street corner jabberwock is not
permitted in Butte.
The loyal people OF Butte, which
category includes the overwhelming
majority Of the union men belonging
to the legitimate trade unions, become
so indignant when they reflect on the
situation that they can hardly restrain
themselves in private conversation.
Everybody realizes that the greatest
mining camp in America is throttled
and paralyzed BY the work Of handful
Of agitators acting through minority
of the miners composed largely OF
unruly Finlanders, openly inlmical
Austrians and revolutionary Americans.
One swift stroke of wartime authority
would put an end TO the whole train
of discomfort and ferment. The time is
approaching when such a stroke will
be deliverd unofficially If not by the
government
The lynching Of Little was a warn
ing.
II was q warning that will be carried
out in one way or another. II the
government does not destroy the |.
w. w. by srresting the leaders and
declaring it a seditious organization,
which has no more right 10 flourish in
America at this time than a German
army, the loyal people of Butte will
find a way of their own TO overthrow
the industrial rule of a disloyal mi
norty.
Unless the government acts there
will be more lynchings or there will be
a mass deportation of the obstruction
lists, such as that at Bisbee. There are
|. W. w leaders walking the streets Of
Butte whom street gossip daily points
out as men who may be found hanging
TO bridge tomorrow. There is much
open talk, and perhaps vast deal Of
secret planning for the forcible ejec-
tion of the whole crowd Of ]. w. W.
pro-Germsns, professional Irish, Aus
trians, Finlanders, etc, from the city
Human nature, and Western human
nature, especially, has a limit of en-
durance. II is intolerable that at least
1900 out Of $4,000 men should be kept
from work in time of national emer-
gency by minority of aliens and dis.
loyal hyphcnates, with sprinkling OF
unworthy Americans. The few mines
whose relations are such that they have
not been forced 20 close by the shut
down of the smelters are swsmped with
men applying for work. Men actually
fight 10 get in line for a job. They
have no grievance. They were cut off
from big pay. They have a higher
standard Of living than any other group
of workingmen in the country. Barred
out in a time Of general prosperity and
activity from high wages-s5.25 for an
eight-hour day-and confronted by an
abnormal cost Of living, even for their
free-handed ways-the lawless, dis
loyal conspiracy that stands in their