The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-10-03

posure over the steel strike than wher
the first authentic reports of the i'm.
pending trouble were heard two weeks
ago. ut is not always, possible, oil
course, to Judge of the prospects OIL
success for any such movement by
the, initial progress made by either
side, but thus far two significans facts
may be noted as throwing consider
able light on the situation; first, that
\ m Pittsburgh, = the most prominent
seat OF the steel industry, few if any
of the giant mills suffered compiete
shutdown; second, that by far the
largest majority of the strikers have
been foreigners and, for the mos,
part, ignorant men who were easilv
swayed by tactics of the labor leaders,
There is a tinge of irony in the be-
,hayior of $3O-a-day expert workers
VINO joined the strikers, but it has
r generally held true that loyal Ameri-
cans; wherever congregated in groups
offair proportions, have preferred to
reniain at their posts and await the
result OF the presidents labor confer
ence on October 9th.
A Strike for Power.
Whatever pretenses may be put
forth by the labor leaders as their rea-
sons dor calling the strike, there can
be no doubt that the strike in the steel
trade is a strike for power, nothing
more. There has been no general de-
mand for the conflict on the part of
I the steel workers, most of whom are
well paid and well taken care of, liv-
4 ing IN special houses prepared for
them by the trust" Even the or
! ganizer Of the red element, in his
official statement. admits that the pre-
paration for the strike was begun
more than a year ago by a few radi-
cal sagitators and has been carried on
BY large number of paid organizers
who have been busy stirring up a
spirit. of discomfort among the work
ment.
William Foster, secretary of the
Steel Workers National Committee
said, last week: II started in the work
OF organization in August of last year,
about Is months ago. There were
only three or four of us at the outset,
but we grew fast until we have had
about one hundred paid organizers at
work, some paid by the American
Federation of Labor and others by the
local bodies which were organized.
including volunteers, there ae about
one thousand organizers on the job
now" He is joint author of pamph-
let in which his radical views are
stated. He regards the wage system
as a "brazen and gigantic robbery"
He hold that the thieves at present
in control of the industries must be
stripped of their booty.t He is frank
ly an advocate of revolution-"only
after such revolution will the great
inequalities of modern society dis
appear" I'M his plan, the capitalists
are not to be appropriated by pur-
chase but by confiscation, by violence.
When the psychological moment ar
rives, the working class, hungering for
emancipation. will adopt the only
method at its disposal and put an end
to capitalism with the general strike"
II would seem that Mr.. Foster be-
lieves that the psychological moment
ilas.aFFived~aatan any rate this advocate
OF revolution, riot, and confiscation.
frankly avows himself to be the men
who Started" the work of organizing
the strike that has now begun.
1t Is regrettable that social warfare
must now be declared between those
who. arte striving for the best interests
Of the whole nation in this critical per-
iod, and band of irresponsible, IRA
t1onal men who would tear down the
structure that: has been So well built,
even though they themselves are de-.
stroyed in the crash. 4
1t Is also unfortunate that one of
the most prominent planks in the
labor platform is the radical reduction
OF the number of hours in the working
day. This automatically reduces pro-
duction, and the handicap will be felt
not only in domestic trade, but in our
competitive efforts with other nations.
in the worlds markets. The next few
years will offer some rich prizes in the
direction OF world trade to the various
nations, and these prizes will 60 to
workers, and not to agitators.
r IT, Security MarketA
The course of the speculative mar
ket has been orderly, and no great
efforts seems to have been made to
force prices in either direction. The
security markets have been far from
considering the strike failure, as this
would hardly have been consistent
with the tenor of reports reaching the
financial district as the week ad-
yaneed. Contrary to expectations, the
mafket has been flooded with buying
orders from every source, and any
weakness in particular stock has
been a signal for renewed demand for
that stock from bargain hunters.
: The bond market has also shown a
tendency to advance. Particularly is
this true of Liberty bonds, which, on
the strong Treasury statement, have
risen nearly 2 points In recent trading.
Iusestment bankers report that the
inquiry for. bonds from the general
public 10 Improving, and that the
quantity and quality of counter busi-
ness 10 better than at any time since
midsummer. Bond dealings on the
New York Stock Exchange have
Snowman appreciable increase, while
prices have been eighty inclined to
higher levels. Bond dealers are again
aearciIinR for standard issues ON n