The Connecticut labor press., 1919-08-09
tRS TRIcK F. o'MEARA,
President Connecticut Federation G
=. Labor.)

President Connecticut Federation OF
Labor.)
At this time when we look at our
daily papers, and scan over the large
head line letters, and there find that
there is today greater number of labor
disturbances now going on the world
over than ever before, can we help but
wonder where it will stop and what is
now bringing about such bitterness and
strife. In the United States, we agree
possibly for the sake of pride at least
the most enlightened country in the
world, we found ourselves confronted
with a condition when the United
States entered the world war; that paint
ed the word shame upon the various
institutions of our country, for the
many shortcomings that had been in
practice for years and which if allowed
to go on would have brought ruin to
ourselves as free people.
We first found that the business sys-
tenn of this country was caught I'M
awares, when the great test was called
for, we found that its system of doing
business was so foul that it took but a
light push to knock over what was sup
posed to be a subtantial structure. Busi-
ness men that for years and years
courted association for the purpose of
destroying all that dared cross its path
in carrying out its destructive competi-
tive program, found that they had fool
ed themselves into the belief that the
small business Institution was not neces-
sary and were compelled to re-adjust
affairs SO that the time lost in doing so
was a severe loss at that particular
time, and demonstrated that in general
that instead of doing something for the
good of all, that they were as had been
predicted and was known, using theiE
destructive methods, to MAIN competi
ton by any means best suited for their
desires.
We found, however, that the great
est working institution that had stood
up under the storms of abuse from the
years, that / refer to being the organ
izatior of the laborer of the country,
was more and nearer ready and did
stand up under the acid test placed upo1
it at that time, than did the great busl-
ness institutions of the country. Or
ganized Labor has no apology to make
to anyone for its activities during and
before the world war, for what it had
promised before the war; was amply
demonstrated by it during the war, that
was that the worker in order to obtain
his or her share from the wealth that is
produced, that they must be grouped
into labor lions. Can anyone be found
that is today writing into history the
accomplishments of the Organized
Wage Garner, when the United States
government called for cooperation at
the outset of US entering the war? No,
YOU do not find anyone particularly
busy doing this, for there is danger
in the minds of those that are its enc
mics should assistance be rendered to
methods of this nature.
During the war the many things that
needed adjustment loomed ur and
great many of them new ones, for as
one great writer has said, things must
be different now either for good or for
bad, and instead of the people of this
country grasping the new conditions and
to try to do what is best under circum-
stances of 4he moment, these new con-
ditinns have heen allowed to drift of IN
the stream of waste that does not bring
abodt any elements for good
Educational institutions aI settled
back into the old systems after the
war and have taken no heed of the
many new things that have been given