Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-10

MIR. GOMPERS has learned to talk words
that do not mean anything. gift that
goes along with face that means nothing or
everything or whatever its owner wishes If
to mean. Words are still sacred 20 Mr.
Foster. They rose out of his past and smote
him and he suffered, wrigging and twist
ing to save his old words, although they
stood in the way of his new activities.
Words are so much water over the dam
to Gompers, as to any good politician.
Words are children to Foster: he is Young
and he quivered as he was asked to sIay
them. But say them he did. after an
preaching the knife to the throat many
times and drawing back in repulsion
And when the act was done he made one
step on the road toward being what Gompers
is. one step upward or downwarG-it do
pcnds on whether you are idealist or prac-
tician-from being young agitator toward
being an old leader. He left the witness
stand more careful, that is, more conserya
tive. That may be set down pcrhars as the
one positive achievement of the Senate
investigation.
HE TRIED to save his words by saying
- that they made no difference: that his
personality did not count. But his opinions
hlh 'ouHl' iHt HullDU. through SpnntOr
Kenyon, was interrogating radicalism in
the person of it's rising hope. as il ey
presses itself within the orthodox American
labor movement Young radicaism had
said: "We are tired of bargaining with
the politicians 1t is too slow. Let us
not go to Washington. Let us settle this
thing by force right here in Pittsburgh.
" Shake your chains off like the dew
Which in sleep hath fallen on YOU,
You are many; they are few"
Washington likes labor moderately. whom
| it comes to Washington. 1t approves
| Gompers. with reservations But il tbor.
| oughly disapproves labor movement that
| declares itself independent of politics and Of
| the politicians.
People say that Foster represents tb;s
| independent labor movement. to borrow
title from England, where the movement
derives its inspiration. more ably than any
| other: that he is. in short, the "brains',
of radicalism in labor.
Foster modestly disclaims his importance
| He is only secretary of the strike com
| mittee. But then. it is said. probably with
| truth that he is the intelligence of tbo
committee. and every one knows what that
means Such being the case, his opinions
are important.
i opinions was difficult. But to present If
fairly / should say that he was once. onIv
a few short years ago, an /. w. w. that
is that he borrowed his inspiration from the
| French syndicalists = that he became con
yinced of the futility of the l. W. w. move
mept and went over to the American Fed =
Grafton of Labor, attaching himself neces
sarily to the more radical groups there
| This was his first compromise He has
droppe6 the word revolution from his yo
cabulary, though he still has perhaps a
secret relish for its flavor. He favors direct
action" which is syndicalist, but which
places him rather in harmony with tbe
prit;sb than the French or the America
labor movement.
In a word, the British labor movement
Is today the strongest and most promising
from its standpoint, in the world It ha,
imnosed itself on former extreme radical,
like Foster, making them more conservative
and upon former conservatives like Stone
making them more radical. Mr.. Foste
is probably where the stronger BritsI
leaders are now, which is radical enough
for America, but still long way short O
syndicalism.
The British movement will continue [,
dominate the more radical American move
ment. its successes and failures being re
aected in the strength or weakness of Mr.
Gompers's position.
The Importance Of Fosters views il futur
rather than present His trip to Wash
i-~ssp brought him In contact with politics
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