The Connecticut labor press., 1919-03-29
Most Important Convention.

The coming convention of the feder- ation will be the most important III the organizations history" MT. Frayne said. lit will have Up for consideration some of the biggest problems with which labor all Soclety, even-has ever been con- fronted but the biggest problem of all IS how to protect our country agalnst the anarchists now assembling under half dozen flags and demanding the destruction of government and the downfall of capital.
 T have satished myself that the peril is no mere bogy; that it IS very real, add that without the patriotic ctfoEts of Ifc<EI1 IIIIIon labor It might n1ake ter rible headway. There is our big fight and we are going into 1t with the same spirit that our soldiers showed against the Germans on the fighting line.
 Tt Is well to make clear that the American Federation of Labor is Amer iean through and through, believing in American democracy, in the Constltu7 tion of the United States, in the en- forcement of law, III the recognition of properly constituted authority, i'll the church and in all other ideals upon which our republic stands.
 Therefore 1t never could have sym pathy with the doctrines of TrOtzky and LenIne now being circulated here and
 
 equally clear that union labor's interest in putting down Bolshevism in America is equal to or greater than that of any other class. BolShevism would destroy labor unionism. That is true no matter what sugary promises the Bolsheviki hold out. It would destroy a system of government which is annually doing more and more for the working men, more and more toward attaining just and fair wages, hours of work and working and living conditions. It would tear down teh United States of America and bury labor in the ruins. Therefore we will fight it with all of our power.
 Soviets Teach Anarchy.
 We shall try to teach American la bor that the soviet form of govern ment is simply not government at all, but anarchy, chaos, which would mean the destruction of the home the na- tionalization of women and children, the drying up of the fountains of production and the reduction of working men to the status of driven cattle. We shall try to teach them that the whole structure of BolsheVism IS rotten with decelt, self ishneSs and crime; that the program is inspired by men who were never bona hde workingmen, as all A. r: ot l.. men
 
 are exploiting the ignorant and living on the proceeds of hypocrisy.
 We shall show in such ways as our people understand that lying and deceit are the principal propaganda methods of the Bolsheviki that are plotting rev. olution in America. We shall put to our people this simple question:
 What good are the shortest hours and the highest wages in a state ot savagery? every country to that it controls. Leadership is necessary, indispensable: No democracy can live without couno leadership and labor cannot thrive ex- cept in a democracy. There is no doubt of the verdict that will be rendered by the A. F. of L. There is no doubt that it will purge its unions of the anarChlstlc elements trying to spread poison. There is no doubt that it will continue to sup port the government of the United States in days of reconstruction as 1t solidy supported the government III the days of war The A. F. of l.. IS as patriotic an institution as can be found in the country. Bolshevlsm Will oreak against it as waves break against sea wall. =,
 "But-and the but is big one--the A. F. of L. and all other organizations honestly interested in the welfare of the country must give intelligent support l refer specifically to some employers @ ana some organizations of employers. The days when an employer may contemptu- ously refuse to arbitrate with ms men, the days when he could stand aIoof ana say I shall not recognize these fellows; I shall have no dealings with such people are past in this country and 1t might as well be understood now.
 Asks Only Square Deal.
 "All that the A. F. of L, wants is a square deal, no more. BolsheVlsm Tn America is encouraged by the attitude of employers who hold to medlsval -~.-.a-- 1. .s..Ln nr..arsa Aha cnaaeAfn& of l2@