Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-26

republic which has given him the
rights OF . man and q held for their
exercise; and to build\upon its ruins
an underlined something Of Socialists,
Tor Socialists, and by Socialists. I
say this not to place political Social
ism in a false light; i say It because
they say 1t. because they proclaim 1t
In their platforms and glory In the
proclamation. When a railroad mag
nate U control Of a certain line
OF road and then wrecks It for his
WI proht, the Socialist hlls~the air
with fumes of birthstone. When the
Socialist gains possession Of the ma
wreck or change 1t for the beneht Of
himself and his class or party, he
reaches the summit Of political and
industrial %virtue!".
The speaker then went on to COM
pare labor and brains, declaring that
the same opportunities that Edison.
Morse, Watt and others accepted, had
been open to everybody but no other
person had the brains and the power
to see thatsthese men possessed. Then
he went on to say
1.-THE socialist tells us that he wants
everything administered for service
talist ignores the public and seeks
only his personal gain. No legitimate
business can exist today that does
not serve the public. The profit a
man or an enterprise may make ma
be too large; but 1t represents what
the public. willingly or unwillingly.
allows him for value received.
Indictment that the laboring people Of
this country are being reduced to a
condition of helpless wage slavery. On
the 9TH day Of September, 1916, in the
city OF Washington, Samuel Gompers.
who Is not a socialist. but he claims
to know something about labor, issu-
ed a statement in which he character
the most remarkable in the history
Of the labor movement, for its achieve
ments in shorter hours, higher wages
and general labor legislation. Again.
invention n organization have been
constantly diminishing the profits Of
capital and increasing the wages Of
labor. For example. in 1867, steel
involved was. paid about $500 a year.
In 1915. steel rails sold for $28 per
ton and labor received $500 per year.
Moreover, the laborer worked fewer
hours than in 1867. These changes
were wrought by invention and or
~ganization. The same forces are still
at work in the same direction. The
war has given a tremendous impulse
to wages.
Legislation for Workers.
"Still further. Legislation has been
busy on behalf Of the worker. Thou
sands of labor laws have been enacted
in the last five or ten years, which
have almost reached the dignity Of a
relative to this subject. In one year
alone over 400 labor laws were passed
by the various states. From the old
theory Of self-reliance and personal
responsibility we have travelled a long
way toward the doctrine that the
workers are the peculiar wards of
the state. The statute. books show
that in his holy passion for a good
cause, the zealot q too often lost
sight of the primary principle Of fair
play towards the employer but legis-
lation discloses no instance-so far az
I a recall-where any unfair law
has been passed against labor and in
the interests Of capital within the
past ten years.
Labor IL Master.
The fact is that it is the employer
today who nearer being a
slave than the wage earner. He is
SO bound and hampered by the re-
strictions of the union and by laws in
the interests Of the New Freedom.
that often he knows not which way to
turn. He is responsible for the re.
suits, but he has little or nothing to
say about the process. II, in, spite OF
everything, he manages to make a
few dollars during the year, he il
classed with the Criminal rich,' and
denounced as an .'explofter Of labor
About the only function left the EN-.
ployer il finding the money and pay.
Iir0 tho hi1le Ana uvhan fnVr broth.
erhood chiefs can dictate to the pres.
ident and congress- of the United States
the course they must take under
threat of paralyzing the transporta.
ton systems and industries of the ma.
ton, one must conclude. that labor Ii
not slave. but we'll nigh master: and
that it is president. legislators and
of the chains.
cusation that divorce. drunkenpess
vice. murder, suicide. white slavery
and war are the results Of the capital.
list system. It is not guilty of all the
sins Of society. The socialists adver.
tise book entitled The Social Evil
by DR.. J. II. Greer. a scientific study
of prostitution. showing that it is the
can be ended only by socialism,
The fact is that many socialist writer:
propose to abolish prostitution. or the
Social Evil, by changing its name
and retaining the fact in what they
call Specialization of Women
1.-The national platform Of 1915
calls for the abolition Of the United
States senate and the veto power Of
the president. and for the adoption OF
the initiative, referendum and recall
nationally as well as locally. In othe,
words. all power of legislation is to bt