The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-10-24

further-that if Germany works while
the rest of the world dawdles and agi-
tates, the great prize will still be hers.
The resolutions at Indianapolis re-
fleet full appreciation of two very
important truths; first that short
hours tend to check all prosperity
and to raise the cost of living to
everybody; second, that the present
attitude of radical labor is hostile to
the interests of the farmers as class,
because it forces the farmer to assume
new burdens without sharing any
benefits. The labor radical says: "We
propose to work half time and draw
full pay The farmer knows that
agriculture cannot be conducted on a
3O-hour week. He must do real
days work, and he sees that if he has
to work full-time while the factory
man works half time he has got to
pay the cost of the latter's idleness.
The Telegram would not go so far
as to say that ten-hour day should
obtain in all industries. In many sit
uations an eight-hour day is actually
more productive, and there are other
valid arguments in its favor. But it
was not the eight-hour day that these
farmers had in mind. The eight-hour
day is conservative notion these
days. 1t is a six-hour day, with two
holidays a week, that the radicals are
demanding nowadays, and presently it
will be five-hour day, and then a
four hour day. The question of hours
is no longer discussed on its merits;
it has become simply game of grab
of how much labor shall demand and
how far it can carry coercion and
intimidation. 1t is this tendency that
alarms all wise heads, and it was
against this tendency that the farm
ers at indianapolis protested.
In recent years there has been a
shrewd and determined effort by rad
ical leaders to form working politi-
cal alliance with the farmers. The ra-
ideals realized that they could not win
alone, but if they could inveigle the
farmers into such a combination, it
would be very powerful one. They
got some encouragement in this
course from certain radical element
among the farmers-or at least radi-
calls who pretended to be farmers
which was so eager to swat the "mid-
dleman" that it was ready to accept
further help from any source. In fur
therance of this scheme for farmer
labor alliance, every effort was made
to arouse the prejudice of farmers
against the buyers and handlers of
farm products, against railways,
banks, manufacturers and all other
business interests with which the far
mer has to deal. The scheme of the
radicals was to magnify and multiply
all the farmers grievances against
business interests, to make him think
the business man was his enemy and
labor his ally, and to persuade him
that a combined assault on business
and property was the only salvation.
This effort has failed, because of
the clear logic of facts and the inher-
ent common sense of the farmers.
They were suspicious Of the PROPOSE
tion that "the interests of agriculture
and labor are one," and they made lit
tie response to the appeal of the labor
radicals to unite in joint war on bus
mess and capital. They listened to
what the radicals had to say; they
sometimes indicated a disposition to
cooperate to certain extent; bus
they did not commit themselves. They
held aloof, watched and waited, while
they made up their minds.
1t is easy to see now what sort of
trap Had been set for them, and how
wise they were to keep clear of it. 1t
has grown very plain that agriculture
and radical organized labor are not
allies whose interests should unite
them in fighting business as common
enemy. On the contrary it is growing
clearer every day that labor radical
ism is the farmers worst enemy, and
that agriculture and business must |
stand together to combat it. i
The whole question of labor and in
dustrial relations has changed greatly |
in recent years. The one outstanding |
fact today is that organized labor has
passed, to a very dangerous degree,
under the power and leadership of a
radical element whose aims and ideals
are bolshevistic rather than American.
That is the protentous fact that stares |
us in the face. 1t alarms all persons
who hold American ideas as to the
rights of persons and property.
That is why the farmer is alarmed,
FOR the farmers political creed GEN.
ters about two ideas--first, fair and
equal chance for all, under truly
democratic government, ruled by the
and second, full opportunity
for individual initiative, with full pro-
lection for each mans property. La
Dor radicalism strikes at the very
roots of these ideas. Instead of ma
jority rule, it would give us the tyran-
ny of minorities ruling through
threats and coercion. Instead of en-
individual initiative, and
protecting the fruits of thrift and en-
serprise, it would give us the deadly
paralysis of socialism and confisca-
ion. The present steel strike is not
an ocopoYoie hut q no1iticoI cfr,,oorJ< |