The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-10-16
Confidential Reports to Govern
ment Makes Disclosure.
Agitators Are Working Among
Thousands Out of Work.
INDUSTRIAL FARLEY A DAM
Conference at Washington Ex-
pected To Remedy Conditions.
Industrial Revolution Would
Presage Political One.
BY HUGH BAILLIE.

Washington, Oct 16.-Radical agi-
tators are working to gain control of
thousands of men on strike in Amer
lea today. and of the thousands more
VINO are threatening to strike accord
ing to information received by the
government from confidential sources.
The purpose of these radicals is said
10 be to lead the strikers in an indus
trlaI revolt that would border on a
political revolt.
Their propaganda is held RESPONSE
Bile for many of the unauthorized
strikes.
Anti-Rcd Forces weakened.
The fact that President Wilson is
i'll. that his confidential adviser. Col
onel House, is i'll, and that Samuel
Gompers. president of the American
Federation of Labo~ and foe of ex-
IRENE radicalism. is in very poor
health and liable to suffer a break
down. makes the situation even more
difficult for the government to handle.
The national Industrial conference
now in session in Washington was
looked upon by many officials as a
Gam against the flood of industrial
difficulties. Even now that the con-
ference appears to be having some diff
ficulfy to make progress, great de-
pendence is being placed in it. Admin
istration officials predict that after
many clashes and when it looks as if
there were a deadlock the delegates,
rtd l2ing the vital Importance of bring
ing forth something constructive, will
Eeo together at the finish and produce
a ren.edy.
Collapse Would Be Grave.
Many strikes are being held up
waiting for the conference to do some
thing. Its collapse. therefore, might
result in a very grave situation, in the
belief of many delegates.
The labor tangIe has been placed
sauarely before President Wilson'S
cabinet. This was done at the last
meeting, 1t was learned at the White
House. The cabinet officers are going
over it this week. It is likely to be
the principal matter before the cabinet
at it's meeting next Tuesday.
Unauthorized strikes are viewed by
labor officials, cabinet members and
congressman alike as bad symptom.
Rail Director Hines has warned B. M.
Jewell, acting president of the railway
employees department. American Fed
Grafton of Labor. that they were ere
ating the basis for an argument that it
is nonsense to recognize labor organ
izations and to try to deal with them. :"
w G. Lee, of the Brotherhood of Rail-
way Trainmen, sees in these strikes an
indication that the radicals are break
ing the grip of the conservative Amer
lean Federation of Labor on its own
locals. Within the last two days Lee
said he felt as if he were sitting over
a volcano" in his own organization.
"Govcrnment in Danger
Senator Poindexter has taken the
lead in congress in insisting that steps
be taken at once to prevent revolu-
ton. He believes the government is
in danger now, and that international
agitators are responsible. Poindexter
wants to know, in a senate resolution
why Attorney General Palmer is not
depertlng agitators.
Continued high prices are creating
discomfort and making workers, ordi-
narily law abiding, more ready tc
listen to radical leaders, in the opinion
of Lee and other delegates to the in
dustriaI conference. Some measures
asked by President Wilson and Palmer
to enable government agencies to ge
at the profiteers have been passed by
congress, but others have not, and il
the latter category is included re
quest for an appropriation to conduc
the campaign.