New-York tribune., 1917-07-20
Refuses in East St. Louis
Case to Indorse Resort
to Violence
Condemns Lawlessness
IF Employers Were Wrong, He
Says, They Should Be Pun
ished by Proper Authorities
Murder is not debatable."

Murder is not debatable."
SO Colonel Theodore Roosevelt con-
cludes a letter on the East st. Louis
riots. in reply 70 a communication from
Victor A. 0lander, secretary of the Hi
nois branch of the American Fedora
tion of Labor. who declares he had no
idea that organized labor was especial
ly concerned in the uprising against ne
groes until Samuel Gompers took it
upon himself at the reception TO the
Russian ENJOYS to defend the rioters.
So far as organized labor is con-
cerned, Colonel Roosevelt declares his
unqualified belief in it, but he refuses
to subscribe to the doctrine that the
refusal of "the negroes to organize or
strike" is justification for their being
| slain.
az refuse" he says, "to treat any in
dustrial conditions as warranting riot
and murder, and condemn all persons,
whether representatives of labor or
not. who attempt to palliate or excuse
such crimes, or who fail to condemn
them in clear cut and unequivocal
! fashion"
Lawlessness, he holds, begets law
lessness, citing as an example the eX-
perience of the Industrial Workers OF
the World in Arizona, and it is the
duty of the government to repress all
such. even when directed against such
organizations as the /. w. W., which.
he saws, has in effect been acting as an
ally of Germany.
The Colonel's letter in part follows:
az was not informed, in any way, as
to these economic conditions which, 1t
is alleged, led up to the riot, until after
Mr.. Gomperss speech on July 6. When,
on that evening, made my first re-
marks on the riots, supposed the un-
deriving cause to be racial, and in my
remarks I made no allusion whatever
to organized labor, or, indeed. 20 labor
at all, in connection with the riots.
Gon1pers Gave First Word
at was Mr.. Gompers's speech which
first gave me clearly to understand that
the fundamental cause was alleged to
be economic, and that organized labor
regarded itself as especially concerned
with the riots.
newsnapers of July 4, which carried an
alleged statement by Mr.. Michael VIVA
len. president of the Central Trades
and labor Council Of East st. Louis.
II this statement is correctly reported,
Mr. Whalen said: The chief objection
to the negroes is that they would not
unionize and would not strike hold
with the utmost intensity of convic-
tion that it is absolutely impossible
for US TO succeed along the lines or an
orderly democracy, democracy wnlch
shall be industrial as well as political,
unless we treat the repression OF crime,
including crimes of violence, and the IN
sistence on justice obtained through
the enforcement of law, as prime ne
cessities.
~. of course, refuse, under any con-
ditions, to accept the fact that certain
persons decline so unionlze and strlke
as warranting their murder, or as war
. Iantlng any hlnu VI NiOiN"NV 80
them. But | go much further tnan
this. I will aid in every way in my
power to secure by governmental as
we'll as private action the remedying
Of all the wrongs Of labor, and IN SO
acting shall pay no heed to any capt.
talistic opposition.
"But ] refuse 10 treat any industriai
conditions as warranting riot and muir
der; and | condemn all persons,
whether representatives OF organized
labor or not, who attempt to palliate or
excuse such crimes, or who fail to con-
denim Them in clear cut and unequivocal
fashion.
Believes in Organization
'T heartily believe in organized la
bor. lust as and even more than ] be-
lieve in organized capital. | am very
proud of being an honorary member OF
one labor organization, but | VIII no
more condone crime or violence by q
labor organization or by workingmen
than | will condone crime or wrongdo-
ing by a corporation or by capitalists.
A square deal for every man! Ihat Is
the only safe motto for the United
/ States.
This is p democracy. government