New Britain herald., 1919-09-12
AN ISSUE AT STAKE.

occurred. after the police of the city have left their posts, demanding that their utilization with the American Federation of Labor be recognized and allowed in the future Labor of ficials, sitting in Greenfield, Mass, re- gently endorsed the action of the po- lice, and have notified Boston Unions generally that a vote would be taken of other trades, and a decision made,
 concerning the advisabijity of callinS general strike of all affiliated bodies
 in the Hub City. This general strike may occur, it may not If it does there may be little added to the chaos that now exists in Boston. It may possibly result in keeping the work
 men in their homes and give them a chance to guard their property. Otherwise we do not believe that general strike will be regarded with much concern by manufacturing ln- terests in the city. It W:ll mean, of course, that industry will suffer, th*t a certain amount of money will DC lost but the manufacturer has not us
 much to lose as the individual. If the firemen strike, and it appears as
 if they might, the possible loss to be suffered through uncontrolled blaze5 will affect the union man as much, if not more than the capitalist as the
 union man, numerically, is much more
 in evidence than his atfluent brother It may take a general strike to prove this to the satisfa ction of the union men who advocated such a plan. They hayc more or less to lC, when all is said and done. wilh the policemen's strike, evel il they gre
 not to blame for the rioting which followed it. They will advance the argument that they could not refuse
 the policemen who wished for the
 right of collective bargaining" aililia-
 ton with their central unlon, hut,
 been done notwithstanding.
 The action of the Greenfield con-
 ference is but one sidelght on the
 question, one angle of labor's views.
 Samuel Gompers and officials of the
 American Labor Federation have
 come forth with interviews and state
 ments that give another, saner, angle.
 They have stated that the police
 thorized from their standpoint, have
 publicly declared that charters were granted to police and hremen with
 the explicit understanding that they
 would not strike, at any time. Un- fortunately, though, they are unable
 to make the policemen of Boston see
 this. And that is a result that is lab be to come about after utilization. Will the labor bodies, at the instlga-
 tion of Gompers and others, revoke
 the charter of the Boston police for
 striking as they did? That remains
 to be seen. Or will the action of the
 district men hereabouts, in calling d
 general strike, be needed, thereby
 sustaining the police in their walk out? It seems as though labor is de-
 cided upon two different courses.
 Meanwhile we believe that Presi- dent Wilson, in Montana, has uttered the opinion of the man on the street when he chara cteriZed the Boston matter in this manner, Leaving that city at the mercy of thugs is a crime against civilization" There is no doubt but that the vast majority of
 people so regard it. It is the only way
 that it should be looked upon. And when one says that it is a crime against civilization it is meant that it is a crime against everyone, labor. capital and the other fellow.
 There is a bare possibility that the hold through this strike. Do not inn agine that we are accusing labor of
 Bolshevism, nothing of the sort. But there are, in this country, today as
 there are in foreign lands. agitators who have the interests Of Germany at heart, who are only too anxious to take advantage of every opportunity that arises to further discord and
 malcontent. Would it be surprising if a Germany that spent vast sums in propaganda work before and dur ing the war to keep dowr the morale of it's opponents in every conceivable 1 way, was spending money now to l rush agents to the center of inter-
 nal distur bances to create as much | chaos as possible? Would it be sur 1 prising if the Hun, who succeeded
 in utterly destroying Russia by his
 insdious batter was attempting the | same thing here. in order that his