The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1917-08-17
Detestable
Discrimination

Mr.. Editor: Since the recent trou-
BILE at Flat River seems to be the all
important topic for discussion at pres
ent, l think it in order for any one
who can throw any light on this I'M
pleasant affair to do so. The first
question to be answered in this mat
ter is, what caused the American
workers of the Lead Belt to rise
against the foreign element and
threaten them with "mob" violence?
1t would be impossible, as there are
so many contributing causes sur
rounding this outbreak, to answer
this question fully in one letter. How
ever, there is one cause that stands
out more prominent than some of the
others. That cause is the un-Ameri-
can, unjustifiable and detestable dis
elimination by the companies against
the American laborers. 1t is well
known, if it has not already been
proven, that the American workman
must compete with ignorant foreign
ers who are willing to buy jobs and
pay cash, or perhaps pay on the in
stallment plan. The high-ups in the
companies will doubtless claim ignor-
ance of any knowledge that such
practices exist, but ignorance in this
matter is no defense for it is the bus
mess of the men in charge of those
companies to know what is going on
in this respect. 1t has been charged
that this business Of buying and SELL
ing jobs to foreigners has been
brought to the attention Of the local
men in charge of the companies by
American workers, only to receive for
an answer a sarcastic grin or an out
right rebuff. If the companies hap
pened to have a vacant house for
eigner usually occupied it in prefer
ence to an American citizen. The for
eigners have a holiday for almost ev-
cry week in the year and their holiday
celebrations are too well known to
need description, and at those celebra-
lions great quantities of liquor are
consumed and a goodly stock of booze
was always on hand in almost every
foreigners house, all of which was
well known to the men in immediate
charge of the companies work. But
the American worker-what of him !?
Well, the American, were he to I'M
dertake to pull off such stunts, would
be shown where to get off almost be-
fore he got on. But the real cause of
the recent American uprising, in the
opinion of the writer, was the conduct
of the foreigners since the military
draft. He knew by some means
probably coached by company law
yer) that he, although registered,
would, if he so desired, be exempt
from military service, and for this rea-
son he probably thought that Uncle
Sam was as partial to him as his
American CD employer. His con-
duct and bearing toward the American
men, and women, too, became more
bold since registration day, until no
man with one drop of real American
in his veins could or would
stand it longer. / want every one who
reads this article to ask himself this
question: What would do under the
following circumstances: Suppose a
foreigner approached you as they have
often been reported and addressed you
something like this, Amelica man go
to war. Me no hat ia go; me taxa
Amelica man job; farm maybe, wife
too. If this or similar language
would not arouse the fighting blood
in any true American, pray, Mr.. Ed
itor, tell me what would. 1t will be
but short time until, doubtless,
some of US will be bleeding and dying
on the battle fields in far-away France
in defense of freedom and liberty.
Yet, in some way or other those for
eign aliens escape any national SER
vice whatever, and at the same time
boast that when we are gone they
will take our jobs, our farms and may
be our wives. When foreign aliens
become so insulting to Americans as
have outlined, and practically all of |
the companies sympathizing with
Ind some of them prejudiced in favor
9f the aliens, we think the Americans
showed great self-control and re.
straint in the recent unpleasantness.
A G.. y