The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-02-16
WHAT OTHER PAPERS SAY.
THE BOLSHEVIKI.

: ssssns Osss1ss . rs 1suO O"s
THE BOLsHEvIKI. -,
The Nonpartisan Leader. A bet
ter understanding of the Russian Boil
sheviki is being brought about in
America. When they overthrow
were a bunch of I. w. Wa group
of anarchists or something Of that
kind-financed by Germany. But
now we find a conservative Chicago
daily paper publishing cartoon
lauding the Bolsheviki for stirring up
a revolt of the people lin Germany,
for forcing Lloyd-George to make a
more specific statement of Graf Bri-
tain's war aims and even for causing
President Wilson to make new war
aim statement, more specific than his
former announcements. Other
papers freely give the Bolsheviki
credit for unmasking Germanys i'm
perialistic war aims.
The Bolshaviki are social revolu-
tionists of the most radical stamp.
They are idealists. To them Ger
man autocracy and militarisn1, or any
ism, are just as repulsive as they are
to us. So far they have failed to sue
cunb to the blanishments of the mill
tary party in Germany, and President
Wilson has done splendid work in en-
couraging the right spirit in Russia
and in dispelling some Of the erron-
eous ideas about the Bolsheviki. We
need them for allies against Germany
and for world democracy.
Those who understand the Bolshe-
wiki and the revolution in Russia say
that the Bolsheviki and the people of
Russia will fight, and fight to the bit.
ter end, with every man and every
dollar, If Germany refuses to aban-
don its imperialistic purpose, as I'M
masked by the Bolsheviki peace ne
gotiations. They point out that the
Revolutionists in France rose up as
one man to drive out the armies of
the European allies who sought to in
wade France and to suppress the
French revolution, over 100 years ago.
Just let the Bolsheviki get the idea
that Germany is against their revolu-
ton Gas she is, of course), then watch
out. Mr.. Kaiser! In the meantime the
Bolsheviki movement is encouraging
revolt against autocracy in Germany
and Austria Hungary.
-.
TO IIEGALIZE SLAVERY.
Milwaukee Leader: A bill enact
| ing compulsory employment for all
able-bodied citizens of the United
States, it is said, will soon be intro
| duced in congress.
| Two states, West Virginia and
| Maryland, have already made non
employment a crime West Virginia
that Paradise of the labor skinners
Furnishes all unemployed and able
bodied residents between the ages of
10 ana 80 except students during the
school term, with a sentence of 60
days work on the roads,
Maryland is somewhat more logical
for she at least assigns work to the
unemployed before she Furnishes them.
1t they refuse to take this work they
get imprisonment for not more than
six months or fine of not more than
| $500. This is a grim joke indeed. for
| now many unemployed men have a
bank account of $500? Therefore
they will get Imprisonment for not
more than six months-and be hired
out to prison labor contractors.
The Maryland law is only war
measure. When the soldiers come
nome, when manufacture drops
"hen the army Of the unemployed
again tramp the railway tracks, this
Ia" Will become null and void. Mary.
land does not care to provide work
Tor the workers when they need i,
most The labor skinners can then
trust the ''natural' law of supply and
demand to bring down the price OF
labor and break the spirit of thei,
wage-slaves.
wartime, when the attention OF
the workers is distracted from thei,
own affalrs, is just the time when
rights OF the workers can be most cas-.
| ny assalled. 1t is just the time wher
all that they have built up by Ions
years OF organization can be under
mined by few strokes of an Off
cars pen or a few capitalist trick
STEERS in congress. That is one reason
why the workers, if they were wise
would put a final end to wars and in
sist on universal peace.
WHY THEY ARE PEEvED.
Railway Federationist: The advo
Gates of "private endeavor' in hi,
things, as it relates to industry ant
commerce, are greatly shocked at tn
revolutionary methods being pursued
by the national government. Ever
congress, which delegated to tn
president certain powers during tn
existence of the war, is now assailin,
the administration because it is ex
ercising those powers.
Many of the congressional investi
cations of the administrative affair
of the government have beel
launched primarily at the behest o
those "patriotic'' profiteers who ar
restrained from plundering the pub
lie. They expected the war woul,
offer large opportunities for thrift,
and they did not anticipate any inter
ference on the part of the govern
ment with their profiteering. The
view with alarm the tendency Of tn
government to extend it's control owe
the industrial activities of the natio
and are apprehensive that the polio
OF control may ultimately lead t
government ownership.
And these fears are not altogethe
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