The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-10-20
While in Death Grip With Steel
Corporation l. w. w. Agents
From Within Knaw at Its
Very Heart Strings.
REIGN OF TERROR IN
INDUSTRY THREATENED
GOmpers in Address Before In
dustrial Conference Made
Strong Appeal For Arbitra-
tiOn of Steel Strike
Csy GEORGE n. MANNINe.)

Washington, ID. c.. Oct. 19.-Organ-
zed labor as represented by the
American Federation of Labor, is
fighting the most critical battle of its
existence While in a death grip with
the United States steel corporation
and straining every sinew to obtain a
victory in the strike which~may mean
life or death to the organized labor
movement il is the beast from within,
agents of the I. w. w. and intensely
radical clements working for it's down.
fail. that gnaw at it's very heart
strings.
The foremost leaders of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor know that
they must obtain a victory in the
clash with the steel corporation. and
must also obtain from the industrial
conference now in session here a
recognition of union principles and
a new. liberal and humanitarian work
ing agreement to be put in force be-
1rcsn capital anu labor in all 7Ameri-
can industries, or must give way to a
radical or Bolshevik movement that
will attain it's ends by force and de-
struction.
While the labor leaders are battling
FOR the very life of the union labor
organization, the structure is being
torn down also from within, and while
public sentiment is being turned
against the organized labor movement
By tho succession of unauthorized
strikes and hasty walkouts that have
within the past few weeks caused
serious paralysis to important public
business.
The radicals and I. w. WIS in the
ranks of labor are dissatisfied with
the peaceful, persuasive and concili-
atory processes through which the
A. r. of L. leaders have sought to
gain ground. Their constant claims of
defeat for peaceful methods and ad-
yocacy of ruthless destruction of in
iustry as a better weapon are respon-
slble, the A. f. of l.. officials attend
.ng the industrial conference assert,
fer The numerous unauthorized strikes
and overwhelming votes in favor of
strikes in almost all wage disputes.
An intense feeling of indifference
70 consequences and recklessness
amons the working element has been
brought about by a sudden relaxation
from tho strain of the war that has
given the radical agitators fertile
field upon which they have worked
labor leaders declare.
The rank and file of the union work
men are good patriotic citizens, well
disciplined and having the general
public welfare at heart, and the labor
leaders, attending the industrial con-
ference assert, and unauthorized or
spontaneous walkouts like that of the
0ngshoremen, the expressmen and
tamsters in New York, represent only
koated cases of a few radicals gain
nE the upper hand and guiding an un-
F'se and destructive course.
The Indifferent and reckless atti-
lie Of the working classes first
showed itself in Russia following the
al OF Car Nicholas. spread to all
ae countries of Europe, particularly
England, and is now gaining ground
N leaps and bounds in the United
states until it has reached the point
N-ere the I. w. WIS and Bolshevikis
A7eaten to overthrow the A. F. of L.
AlH the recognized orderly and con-
TV'ative leaders of union labor and to
4Aa command with a wave of the red
as they admit
resident Samuel Gompers admitted
w existence of this state of affairs
n eloquent address to the indus
"a. conference here last Tuesday.
'sn ne made an impassioned appeal
tAe representatives of the public
me employers to adopt his reso-
son Tor arbitration of the steel
"e The employers group would
S'e.d. however. and Mr.. Gompers,
- Grand Old Man." went home
:. 10 he'd suffering from a mental
pAysical breakdown.
4 situation within the ranks sf
n '-zed labor. with the radicals and
IN N's exerting all their powers
4 ''hrow the conservatives led by
sFs' with occasional indications
~. measure of success. is bringing
rable uneasiness to the lead