The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1919-03-01
OUR EDITORLAIN BIRTHDAY.
(By W. f. McEwen.)

(By W. f. McEwen.)
It dawns upon me today that
am not a boy any longer. I started
to write a date line for this issue,
March !, 1919, and there seemed
something strikingly familiar about
it. My mind shot back and l. re-
that l purchased The Labor World,
just 10 years ago, and with this
number begin my twentieth year as
its editor and publisher.
I'll never forget the day. 1t was
the opening of a new life for me.
l laid aside my plumbers kit after
discouraging week at a distasteful
job. | didn't have any money, but
l had grit and nerve and pep, and
| seemed to see in the labor news
paper field an opportunity to make
a living and at the same time to
render service 10 my fellow mortals.
The Labor World was on the mar
ket. Sabre G. Akin, its founder,
a wonderful woman, had died the
week before. The administrator of
her estate was offered a good price
for the paper by persons who wanted
it for a scandal sheet, but Mrs.
Atkins dying request was that The
Labor World be kept true to labor,
SO the offer was rejected. I had
been president of the Federated
Trades assembly, was serving as Sec
rotary of the Minnesota State Fed
Grafton of Labor, and was one of the
active men identified with the labor
movement. I was urged to purchase
the paper, but as I have said, 1 was
without money. The administrator
agreed to turn The Labor World over
to me at a price considerably less
than was offered him by the other
persons, and he signified a willing
ness to take my notes in payment,
to have my own time in meeting
them, and with but one condition,
which was that 1.-The Labor World
should always be on the side of. the
men and women who work with their
hands for a living"
It did not take us long to close
the deal on these terms, and when
it was accepted by the judge of
probate, I walked down town from
the old court house, and, the first
person l met was James L. Travers,
an old time union man and now re-
ceiver Of the Duluth land office. I
told Jimmy what I had done, and he
dug down in his pocket and handed
out dollar bill as my first sub
scriptioh. He has been a subscriber
ever since. That dollar bill was the
finest looking piece of Taper l ever
saw, and while Jimmy Travers and I
have disagreed on many occasions
since that March morning nineteen
years ago, have never forgotten his
act of friendship and Che expression
of good will that came with it, and
have tried to be his personal friend
through the years that have followed.
Whatever differences there may have
been, or the shortcomings we have
shown, Jimmy always seemed to
have understood. Out of gratitude
Z pay him this tribute today, as
would wish to do to every good friend
{ have ever had.
I In the EARL days l was considered
h radical labor agitator and found it
hard to get business from merchants.
1t wasn't so popular, nor so safe, to
be union man then as it is today.
We were characterized as anarchists
and dangerous citizens The only
difference between a union man and
an anarchist was reckoned to be one
of degrees A union man was capable
of doing but trifle less harm. No
QUE considered the trade union as a
builder Of society or saviour of
democracy. It was menace to the
existing order and would be better
out, of the way.
4 'Workingmen, too, were conserva-
tive, &Gd our big task seemed to be
/ to get them out of the rut in which
. they were slumbering; to awaken
them and get them to look forward,
to organize, to work and to fight
B for higher wages, shorter hours and
Y social bctterment. 1t was a tough