The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1919-12-27
RH|N0iSaii TELLS
WHY TROOPS ARE:
STILL IN NORTH
BurnQuist Crowd Driven oFrenzy
Give F|imsy Excuse for
Holding Militia.
CONTINUED From Page ~

occurred which might be prevented
had the militia been present well
suit yourself was the. sheriff's part
ing word to Rhinow, and upon this
request" hurried orders were issued
to company of the St. Cloud militia
to assemble and proceed to Interna-
tional Falls.
His Work Was Raw
ALL this was taking place in st. Paul
without the knowledge of the people
OF International Falls, and at a time
when the city was as peaceful as a
village church-yard. When word was
received there that the troops were
en- route the surprise of the people
may be imagined. The work was so
raw that the American Legion
arose in protest, and city and county
officials were mad all over. Repre-
sentative F. J. McPartlin, one of the
most bitter foes of the 1. w. w. in the
state legislature, when he learned that
the militia was on it's way to his home
city, went straight up and wired his
protest to the governor, as did also
DR.. NJ. E. Withrow, commander of the
American Legion, Judge Frank Pal
mer of the municipal court and others.
Governor Burnquist replied to al
the protests by first filing his answer
with the Twin City papers: in which
he characterized these people as
"enemies of the state," for daring to
question the action of the governor
Of Minnesota Their replies are pub
ished in this issue of The Labor World
following this story.
In an Unfortunate Mess
Now was not the governor In an un-
fortunate mess? And how was he to
get out of it? There was some hot
brain raking at the capitol. All the
wise old owls in the marble temple
were called in. isn't the I. w. w.
up there?" one of them asked. That's
it," said another" Frame it on "con-
fidential" reports we have here on
I. w. w. activities; they are working
Quietly to start a revolution" uD
there. The idea was adopted and the
word was passed to the Twin City
papers, which in turn presented it to
their gul1ible readers.
The fact is there are a less mum Der
Of members of the I. w. w. in the
northern woods this winter than there
have been in years. The loggers have
been wedding them out with a fine
tooth comb with so much success that
a premium is offered for a peep at a
red card. But while the I. w. w. is
gone, there are thousands Of timber
workers who are members of the In
ternational Timber Workers union, an
organization affiliated with the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, and one that
adheres strictly to its policies. These
trade union timber workers are advo-
eating the eight-hour day. They have
fixed April 1, 1920. as the time when
it will become effective and not DE
cember 26," as announced by Cen
eraT Phinow. The coming of the
'eight-hour-day" in the lumber camps
and mills is the talk of the timber
and mill workers, and Governor Burn
quist has been induced to lend his
power and influence as chief executive
of the state Of Minnesota to the mill
owners and lumber interests to pre-
vent further organization among the
woodsmen by awning them with the
presence of the state militia.
Why Troops We're Changed
The troops from st. Cloud failed.
The American Legion entertained
them at International Falls. Several
of the strikers are members of the
Legion. Soon the militiamen and the
strikers were fraternizing very much
to the distaste Of Lord Backus Then
the grapevine route was again taken.
Someone" got to Governor Burnquist,
after which an order was issued per
hitting the st. Cloud troops to return
to their homes to enjoy Christmas,