The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-11-20
GOV. ROBERTS
SAYS UNIONS
Are ON TRIAL
Tennessee Executive Declares i'm
], Address United States is
Seated on Seething Volcano
Indifferent to Peril.

Nashville, Tenn. Nov. 1s.-In an ad-
dress here to a meeting of representa- :
tives of the commercial bodies of the
state last night, Governor A. H. Rob-
erts, said that the people of the United
States were on a seething volcano, ig-
norant of or Indifferent to their peril.
Governor Roberts declared that
Nashville was honey -combed with
Bolshevism and that statements that
Nashville is the cleanest city in the
United States SO far as the spirit of
anarchy is concerned" showed ignor-
ance of conditions. He said he was
in possession OF Photographic copies
letters written by w. u. Foster, fur
nished by the United States attorney
general and these letters showed a
clearly outlined plan to bring on revo-
luton against constituted authority by
sowing the seeds Of discomfort among
the Industrial workers by exciting local
strikes. which would pave the way for
general strikes. and then the great
revolution, which would put the pro-
letariat in charge of the industries OF
the country and ultimately the gov
ernment. The governor declared these
plans were being developed upon
scheduled time and with amazing ex-
actitude. "The fundamental mistake
OF the world today said Governor
Roberts, ais the failure to meet this
menace squarely."
Continuing the governor said:
"The imperative duty OF the hour
now resting upon every man is wheth-
ar ,, hale 70 ;c
to declare openly his faith in our gov
ernment and let his acts comport with
his declarations. No men can serve two
masters. No man can fight under
two opposing flags.
"The people should awake to a reali-
zation of the dangers confronting them.
The coal miners have utterly disre-
garded the order revoking the strike
because it is said to have been print
ed on plain paper, signed with a type
writer and did not have the seal of
the union. No one would be foolish
enough to believe that this was a
mere accident.
Nashville. Tenn. Nov. 1e.-In a
statement today, following his vigor-
GUS address last night to representa-
state, Governor A. n. Roberts said:
''The labor unions of Tennessee and
America are on trial, at the bar of
public opinion. The man who tolls
with his hands has the sympathy of
every man, so long as he is honest and
patriotic. but when he becomes an an
archist or engages in 1aw1essnes, he
then forfeit his right to the sympathy
of law abiding men,"
Washington, Nov. 19-Department of
Justice officials would not comment to-
day on a statement last night at Nash
vile by Governor Roberts of Tennes-
see that he had received from Attor-
ney General Palmer Photographic
copies of letters written by w. z. Fos-
ter, secretary of the steel workers
organization committee, outlining a
plan to bring on revolution by agi-
tation among industrial workers The
plans called for ultimate proletariat
control of the government itself, the
governor said, and We're being de-
veloped on schedule time. Failure to
meet the menace squarely was a fun
damental mistake. he added.
The department of justice recently
made public copies of letters and docu-
ments seized in raids on radical head
quarters in various cities. but no let
ters bearing Fosters signature were in
cluded. Mr.. Palmer would neither af-
firm nor deny today. however. that
such letters We're in the possession of
the government.
Foster admitted during the senate
of the steel strike his
former connection with the /. w. W.
but said he had changed his views.
He was sharply criticized however, in
the report of the Kenyon investigation
committee.