Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-06
Labor Situation Defined
BRIGGS
LFrom Philadelphia Inquirer

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The present crisis in the labor sit
uation has not been more plainly
and forcibly defined than it was in
the address delivered at North
Adams, Mass, by Governor Sproul of
this State. His statement goes to
the very root of the matter and it is
so vigorous and sensible, it is so alb
solutely and incontroveEtibly cor
rect, that it cannot be too widely cir
| culated or too strongly emphasized.
Labor" the Governor said, "as rep
| resented by the patriotic American
workmen, who, under sane and pro-
! gressive leadership, have obtained
so much for themselves and have
served the Nation so well, is engaged
| in n battle to preserve it's erganiza-
tionS from the radicals who would
destroy them because they are in the
way of a class revolution. 1t would
| suit these destructionists exactly If
they could get hold of the forces of
public safety in this country. The
| municipal governments, the State
governments and finally the national
governments would then be easy
game"
That covers the whole ground of
| conflict in a few words and a brief
space. 1t is the exact truth that
few violent men, most of them of
| foreign birth or extra ction, are en-
gagged in an attempt to capture and
control the labor organizations of
the country as a first step toward
| the accomplishment of purposes
which are incompatible with the
maintenance of our republican insti-
tutions, and with the preservation of
our social and economic life.
| These malefcent conspirators
against the general welfare are seek
ing to introduce into the United
States the so-called soviet type of
rulership which, as it has been ap-
piled in Russia by such miscreants
and murderers as Trotzky and Len
inc, has enslaved the Russian peo-
pie and has reduced them to an in
describably shocking condition of
destitution and distress.
What Russia is to-day, terror
stricken, bankrupt and starving the
United States would presently be-
come could such revolutionists as
Foster, as Fitzpatrick and as the
unqualifiable Lewis succeed in car
| rying out the program which they
have in mind, and whose realiza-
ton, without the least regard for
reason or for right. with an inso-
lent indifference for the interests
and welfare of the American people,
they are defiantly and unscrupulous-
ly attempting. No one believes, nor
are there any grounds for believing,
that these malignant mad dangerous
mischief-makers are supported in
their subversive designs by a ma
jority, or by anything near a major
ity, of the union membership from
which such power as they possess
is derived and which they fiagitious-
ly misrepresent.
The average union worker is O
loyal citizen and good American
who would repudiate and revolt
against his false leaders if he clear
ly understood what they are driving
at and was fully aware of all that
the campaign in which they are en-
gagged implies. But he has beer
inert and passive, and by failing tc
assert himself has enabled a more
radical and aggressive element tc
. gain control of the situation and tc
, use the machinery of the labor or
ganization for its own ends That /:
the explanation of what is going on
and the source of all the trouble
that threatens, and in the light o.
this explanation the union worker
can have no doubt as to the course
which his duty to the country anC
his own self-interest require him Il
pursue.
He must protest against and max,
. it his, business to prevent the per
version of the labor union which
occurs when it is used as an in
strument to promote the ambitions
of a few selfish schemers who from
! one motive or another are enemie
: of the existing order, enemies o
, representative government, enemie
{ of the Republic, and who are EN-
ploying the power which goes witt
the official positions in which the,
; have improvidently been placed t.
break down the pillars of justice
! law and order upon which our socia