The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-10-02
THURSDAY OCTOBER ,, 1919

Without the sympathy and support
of the great body of people who are
not numbered within its ranks, organ
lied labor will be bereft Of its chief
power and source of strength. Unfor'
tupately IL appears as though the con-
servative, constructive and wise leader
shin with which, in recent years, or
gained labor has been blest, is being
pushed aside and radicals and extrem-
lists are coming to the fore. II such is
really the case, organized labor will be
the chief sufferer in the long run
The Boston policemen's strike failed
miserably and deservedly because 1t
had the condemnation Of the public.
1t does not yet appear that public
opinion is very strongly behind the
steel strike, and lacking public SYM
pathy, the strike is already showing
signs Of failure. Undoubtedly it was a
grave mistake for the steel workers
leaders TO hout the request OF Presi-
dent Wilson to defer action until after
the conference of labor and capital
called TO be held liz Washington early
in October. TO refuse the Presidents
reasonable request looked like def
apce and an aflront, and II alienated a
vast deal OF sympathy and support
which wiser policy OF leadership
might have won for the steel workers.
Nor is public sympathy with the
present course Of organized labor in
creased by the threatened strike Of
coal miners. The demands appear, TO
the average citizen, excessive. A 60
per cent raise IN wages, a siX-hour day
and fiye.day week looks like plling II
it on to the ultimate consumer-who,
OF course, must pay the bill-a little too
thick. Coal prices are high enough,
goodness knows, right now. win any
but the rich be able to buy coal when
the miners desires for wealth and lei
sulb arc ihilg ohhlohtN'
"More money and less work" is
poor slogan for labor-organized or
not--just at the present time. lncreas-
ed production is the crying need Of a
world shaken by four years Of war and
a year Of succeeding chaos. How is
production to be increased, and how is
the high cost Of living TO be reduced,
if workers insist on curtailing produc-
ton and getting more money for less
work.
The poison virus OF Bolshevism has
been injected, il is feared, into por-
ton at least Of the once sturdy body Of
organized labor. The printed and
spoken words Of one Of the labor lead.
ers DOW in the limeiRht read much as
though they might have been penned
by Trotsky himself. William u. Fos-
ter, Secretary Of the committee that
organized the steel strike denounces
the wage system as "Lhe most gigantic
robbery ever pe"petrated since the
world began" and he wants the
"thieyes at present in control OF the
industries stripped Of their
booty and society so reorganized that
every individual shall have free access
TO the social means OF production.
No doubt Soviet form Of so.called
government, such as Lenine and Trot.
sky head 10 Russia, with its accompan.
lment Of graft, bloodshed and starva
tion, would suit this woulj.be leader
Of labor, but we do not believe the
mass Of sober patriotic American
worbinRmen countenaDce any such
wild ideas, and whether they do or
not we know that the great morgan
lied majority Of the American people
will have none Of them