Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1918-03-02

sitiOn to Race labOrers, skilled and un-
skilled, the American Federation capitulates
to the wisdom Of unionizing them. The
increasing numbers and Importance of Race
workers in the North, in the free states as
against the slave states-as slavish now
as when Jeff Davis cussed the moon and
turned his back on the sun-force the white
labor trust to throw down the bars and
seek still greater power through embracing
those heretofore spurned and rejected on
no other ground than that they belonged
to the race of Booker T. Washington and
not to that of Robert E. Lee
We claim no confidential relation with
Mr. Gompers, the body Doctor Morton
speaks for or the American Federation of
Labor But we claim closest relation with
the Race for which Doctor Morton s COM
mttee speaks, and to which in moment
OF distress Mr.. Gompers now eagerly turns.
1T is FOR THAT RACE, AND NO
OTHER ORGANIZATION, THAT THE
DEFENDER SPEAKS
10 the manor born, true in every test,
loyal through three hundred years of un-
interrupted residence upon this continent,
and claiming the brawniest arm that ever
raised an implement of labor, the Ameri-
can Negro deserves the protection which
organization secures, and merits such con-
Will WHICH LOrO GOmD0rS may
now stoop to fatter him.
If the union labor marks the American
white man freeman, that is the very badge
to be worn by the Race upon whose labor
such civilization as the semi barbarous
South may boast was built and upon which
1t is now maintained!
That much we all of us are in agreement
upon.
The parting Of the ways now comes. if
it comes at ala contamination devoutly
to be hoped agalnst-When the proposition
is advanced to organize the Race into
separate unions. That u.s. when Union No.
of bricklayers and plasterers is composed
OF white laborers, and Union No. Of brick
layers and plasters is composed of Colored
men,
That is the spirit and the essence of Jim
Crow; and Jim Grow, in any form or by
any faith is our cup. We are resolutely
opposed to its lnfamy in church and state,
and we are immovably pledged against it
in the labor unions, whether North or
South
If that is the proposition as made by
Gompers and accepted by any league or
by Doctor Moton-the honesty of this man
is not here questioned issue is Joined
and the fight is on
THERE IS NO COLOR LINE IN THE
HANDIWORK OF LABOR, AND THERE
SHOULD BE NONE IN THE COUNCILS
OF LABOR. Whatever progress the Race
has made in the world of labor in the free
states has been made in spite of and not
because Of the American Federation of
Labor. Thus far the Negro has come
alone and alone he can go still father until
the politics of American labor is taught
the theory of ''the sweat of the brow
Only few hours ago the New York
Times felt impelled to rebuke Mr.. Gompers
for sustaining the Brotherhood of Carpen-
ters in it's persistence in embarrassing the
government at a time when every saw
and hammer is needed. Mr.. Gompers may
properly sustain the Brotherhood of Labor
and Man without fear of rebuke from any
source.
The Race will refuse the union until the
union accepts and considers the Race man
at least as much of citizen and man as the
foreign laborers in the unions whose par
ticular mark is their universal apprentices
ship and their inability to speak the Eng
lish LANGUAGE These are nlain facts like