Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-04-20
MVESTIGATM G THEL ". ".

The New York Evening Post, which. as everyone
knows, is a most scholarly jorunal. is conducting an in
vestigation for . the purpose of ascertaining the truth
with reference to the labor troubles which have been
experienced in the agricultural regions of the United
States. and especially with reference to the character
and activities Of the I. W. w. The man to whom this
work has been assigned is Robert w. Bruere. Mr..
Bruere has visited sections Of the southwest in which
the situation has been acute, and has also made some
inquiry into the facts in the northwest. The conclus-
ions which he reaches are fairly indicated in the head
lines Of a recent article, which read: 1.-The I. w. w. in
Northwest Farmlands. Blind and brutal policy of
abuse contrasted with working understanding between
organized farmers Of North Dakota and Agricultural
Workers Industrial Union"
A fundamental error into which Mr.. Bruere falls is
that Of assuming, very early in the course Of his investi-
cation. that the l. W. w, Of which the Agricultural
Workers Industrial Union is but an ohshoot, is an or
ganizaion created and operated for the purpose of pro-
tecting the interests Of its members in legitimate ways.
which. in their case, would include the duty of securing
for them proper working conditions and just compen-
sadon for honest labor diligently performed.
That being the assumption of the investigator, he
nnds plenty Of material with which to support it.
Through interviews at organization headquarters and
elsewhere. he has reached the conclusion that the OPP
and unreasonable antipathy to the organization of
everything except capital. Such undesirable features as
are noted in connection with the organization are held
to be incidental rather than characteristic.
Suppose one were to institute an investigation Of the
Christian church. for instance. By pursuing exactly the
methods which the Post writer has followed, and apply
ing those methods in whichever direction his fancy lay,
he could md abundant evidence to support the theory
that the Christian church is a most useful institution, Of
immense value to the world. whose members are devoted
to the highest possible ideals, and on the other hand, to
support the opposite ideals. and on the other hand, to
tionary institution. tyrannical in its methods, whose
members are either densely ignorant or utterly hypocrit-
ical. One who is looking for evidence in either direc-
ticn can hnd plenty Of it.
But We take it that the man who wished really to
investigate the church. and whose purpose was rather
to ascertain facts than to support theories, would en-
ploy a different method. He would study the history Of
the. institution. He would acquaint himself with its lit
erature. He would become familiar with, the spirit Of
its leadership and the Character Of its leaders He
would learn what doctrines it teaches how those doc
trines are received by the general membership. and what
evidences there are Of church influence in the live. Of
the members, and in what manner those results exhibit
themselves.
That would be the method applied by the real in
vestigator who wished to inform himself or to enlighten
others. He who should apply this method to an inquiry
into the status of the 1. w. w. would and in the litera-
ture which is distributed from its headquarters, as well
as In the statements made repeatedly by those who are
acclaimed as its leaders the doctrine of an irreconciIabi bic
antaeonism between employer and employee He would
find sabotage preached and defended. He would find.
that the crimes Of violence and intimidation, the destruc-
tion of property and the terroriizing Of communities,
which are blandly dismissed by Mr. Bruere as merely the
acts Of Irresponsible individuals, to be thoroughly in
keeping with the spirit Of the organization as that spirit
has been express1 fn.a score Of ways Andyxlf he had
pursued his investigations in that spirit Of ,horoushnen
he would probably not consider 1t strange that the farm
es Of North Dakota have refused to shake hands and
strike = barsain On any subject sat any price. With such
ansorsanis.tion, which vas born in the spirit Of erin
inality and whose career has been : long and unbroksn
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