El Imparcial. (San Juan, P.R.) 1918-197?, 1919-01-31
EDITORIAL VIEWS
We translate, from the
Boletin Official, published by
the american Federation OF
Labor, apropos of the Porto
D: A,,,,,,.;;x nor, U7nha ocn
WORKINGMEN,
( SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!

Co.'S lockout and because Of that promise (of en-
poyment after January 1Oth.) the workers were TINS
fsyearend more liberal than in previous years; they
Il ssspended ALL WHAT THEY HAD, and further more,
THEY INCURRED IN DEBTS, in order to have more
enioymen they and their families during the last days
sOf the year And further on in the same bulletin,
we read sHe (Mr Toro the President of the Company
cnningy kept us waiting in order to give chance
ssTO SPEND ALL WHAT WE HAD, and being penniless
s:we would had to work anyhow after New Year.
M Now let the cigar makers refect for few seconds
about what is quoted above laying special stress the
words written with capital letters and let us know what
they think of it. Don't you think that men with expe
rence men who by having been all their lives the object
of expoitation they say OF age not small child
rem don't you think, that you ought to know better
\ than to spend ALL YOU HAVE? When you complain
against being exploited and you make such frank admit
tance of suicidal mprovidence in your part you make
many people disrespect you laugh at you have SYM
pathy for you Yes because if you know how to dem
and YOUR rights YOU certainly ought to know how to full
I'll your duties You spend all you had eh? Not, What
pit! but What shame! And not only you spent ALL
WHAT YOU HAD, but you INCURRED IN DEBT!
Porto Rican prolearans like any other proletarians
know how talk about their rights which they certainly
have but the workingmen of Porto Rco unlike their
brothers outside Of the Island do not want to understand
that of their main duties they want to be able to
defend their rights is to be much possible INDIE
PENDENT economically free far their earning
capacity allows it. How they ever strike if they
SPEND ALL THEY HAVE? How can they ever compel
those whom they call exploers to listen to their demands
for better wages for better working conditions, if they
are nothing but slaves since they absolutely at the
mercy of their exploiters? Perhaps Of the work
ingmen do not like this kind Of talk Don't come to as
qrith sermons, among them will say but whether
they like it not let them understand clearly that they
have business to talk about RIGHTS, ifat the
time they don't remember their DUTIES; and these
dues whether they like it not must also be preached
to them by their leaders and by every interested in
their welfare, whenever they preach about worngnens
rights.
We Porto Ricans have reputation for living always
beyond means; particularly our workingmen know
how to spend all they have and further besides not
in alcohol any more, because they haven't much of
chance to do it for the present but in superuous things
in gambling and their sunry wes besides their lawful
one if they have her. And while this lasts, let them be
Slaves redeem them. 1t is the proetarians
themselves who will have to work their salvaton
and no else will do that for them.
3 They talk about capitalism But isn't capitalism bas
ed exactly the misery the ignorance of the aborers
IF clear that the day when the workngmen know
how to money how to start the to economical
emancipation will be the last day of their exploitation
by the capitalists From the habit of saving to the prin
cple of cooperation there is but STEP AS
salared person has fair bank account ii he or she
knows how to work, the next desire is independence;
therefore, it should be easy thing for worlSingmen
having full conscience of their duty to shake off the yoke
of the exploter.
Let US imagine, for instance that9the Porto Rican
Am. Tobacco Co.. employs two thousand hands, whose
average salary is fifteen dollars per week, and who
sacrificing enough to save on the average two dollars
perWeek at the end of two years. these two thousand
workingmen will have four hundred thousand dol
lars saved. Can anybody think for moment that the
Company would be so foolish to antagonize this mass
of organized wealthy labor when it forward
with reasonable demands? You bet your life that
the Company would not do anything Of the kind. The
Company does anything it likes now, because in front of
1T teres nothing buta multitude of slaves who
Cor later will have to to terms but if instead of the
workingmen being begging like slaves they demand
ing like intelligent free and wealthy men, the Company
would readily understand that these workngmen had
s to be taken in AS REAL PARTNERS lest they might
start cooperative business, and make it hot for the
sexploiters
+ Yes workingmen; little raise in your salaries
ana tnen are only actual redemption VIII not
to demand justice like free Independent men, not like
4 miserable slaves
UNITED STATES teded for dispatch from Camp Las
N POST OFFICE Gasas G