Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1918-01-04


We have enjoyed, or. rather, suf-
fered from the usurpation of power
by courts almost wholly in sympathy
with the buyers of labor, buyers who
regard it and treat it as a commod-
ity, in spite Of the dictum Of the
Clayton act. We have suffered from
the Indifference, even the antagon-
ism, of legislative bodies made up of
business and professional men, poll
ticians eand plain blockheads. And
nine-tenths of the population is made
up of those who are poor, who ara
wage-earners or agriculturists. who
are victims of the legislation called
into being by vested interests, preda-
tory and corporate interests.
Did not the people of this state at
the polls repudiate the anti-picketing
measure enacted by the late legisla-
ture? They surely did that very
thing. Did the courts hearken to
the voice of the people? Not so you
could notice it. When the mill COM
panies rushed into lower courts for
injunctions against the timber work.
ers and the shingleweavers in their
recent effort to establish the eight
hour day in the lumber industry,
unions as unions were absolved by
the courts, but union men we're pun
ished for violating judge-made law.
And the reputation by the sovereign
voting strength of the state of the
anti-picketing measure had about az
much bearing on the situation as a
fly on cartwheel.
We hear lot in these days of war
about the necessity of the wage
earners giving loyal support to the
government. 1t is being given.
Wage-earners and their unions, in
spite of a cost of living mounting 1T
rapid rate to record prices, while
wage increases creep slowly upward.
are buying Liberty bonds and thrift
oSOMPc aAu 6ANh6 LuClI AuOACy W
the Red Cross and their sons to the
battlefield. But none of the wage
earners have been summoned to
Washington to easwer to charges Of
profiteering, while presidents COM
missions investigating strikes and
labor troubles invariably, in their
settlement compel the unwilling
buyer Of labor to grant wage in
creases and other improvements.
Have you heard of any arbitration
board advising reduction Of wages
or frightening Of hours?
We hear lot about being pa
triotic, and If the conduct Of the
wage-earners is not and has not been
patriotic. then the word is a figment
of the imagination, a diatribe on
commonsense. The wage-earers are,
in truth, the only ones who have
been patriotic. True patriotism is
sacrifice for the common good. How
can one sacrifice II his share Of
wealth prevents any sacrifice except
that of false pride?
While the winter is upon US, while
we ponder over the struggle In the
trenches Of France, that liberty may
not die on this earth, that democratic
government and not slavery may be
the portion of mankind, let us not
lose sight of the fact that eternal
vigilance is the price of liberty here
at home as we'll as on that bloody
ground SO we'll named No Mans
Land. While American manhood
and womanhood gives its life that
the glorious heroism of the French
may not be sacrificed in vain, forget
not that at your elbow perhaps there
exists, masquerading in the guise Of
an American employer, profiteer
who howls loudly against tn, labor
union the while he robs your govern
ment and his for aeroplane spruce
stock, or who corners the necessa-
ries of life while he invokes the aid
of the courts to keep down the wage
rate which the labor union is trying
so hard to raise in order to partially
at least meet the cost of living In
war times. While he hides behind
your flag. he robs his government
and you. Tear off his mask. The
highest patriotism Is that which
fights the tyrant wherever he be
found which hates the enemy Of the
country. whether that enemy be q
pro-German in our midst or an ex-
ploiter Of fellowmen at our elbow.
Keep your eyes wide open and your
thoughts clear. BY the side of the
pro-German place the profiteer of
the rich variety like they have in
Everett or of the poor variety that
has first begged money from union
labor and then used that money to
disrupt union labor, or whether the
anti-unionist be a ghoul who would
enrich himself out of the necessities
! of war-ridden nation.
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