New-York tribune., 1919-04-03
Only Waiting for the Return
of Mr.. Compers to Attack
''Red' Activities, Says
Fray1e, a Local Leader
Employers Aid Sought
Campaign Will Be Fruitlcss
Unless Capital Recognizes
Attitude of tl,., Workers,
Declares she Union Head

The American Federation of Labor
Is awaiting only the return of Samuel
Gompers from Europe before drawing
up a nation wide plan for opposing
further spread of Bolshevism in this
country. Mr.. Gompers is now on the
high seas, expected to reach this cjtv
April 10, according to Hugh Fraync.
head of the A. f. Of L. here, and for
twcnty-one months It's representative
on the War Labor Board.
Mr.. Gompers is coming back with a
full report for the federation's ruid-
ance on the condition Of Industrial
Europe and the spread of the red doc
trines there. Meanwhile, Mr. Fravne
said, the organized labor movement of
this country is going steadily ahead
combating Bolshevist tendencies
wherever they arise 1t Will give
whatever support may be asked of it,
he declared, to the legislative invcsti-
cation committee from Albany. and will
in every way cooperate with the apen-
cies already concrctely committed to
the anti Bolshevik campaign.
Labor Alive to Menace
I'VE are fully alive to the present
menace" he said. What is needed
though, is not sudden, convulsive pro
tests, but steady, unremitting, plod-
ding, spectacular, day-to- day work
against this thing"
Representatives of the National
Civic Federation, the Union League
Clubs Bolshevism committee and sim
liar organizations which have under
taken to stamp out the Bolsheviki here
have freely expressed the belief that
union labor must bear the brunt of
the anti-Bolshcvik fight. "In them,
said one of these representatives, SIS
centred the real hope Of the country y
Analyzing the situation for The Trib,
unc last night, Mr.. Frayne in a sense
subscribed 10 this view. But" he
added, I'VE can do nothing without the
cooperation of the employers"
Unless employers throughout the
country speedily realize that we arc
entering new day, unless they with
draw opposition to the regular union
labor movement and the things i
stands for, Mr.. Fraync said. the situa,
tlon is bound TO become more and more
desperate
Conceding that the Red agitation i.
probably being definitely and con
sciously directed here from Russia. Mr.
Frayne holds that the only real safe
guard for America lies in the cstab
lishment of higher standard of lif,
for the workingman.
To- day, he declared, certain employ
ing factions III various sections ar,
taking advantage of the stoppage O
war work to cut down wages to Al
alarming extent. Returning soldier
and sailors, in an alarming number O
cases. he charged, are being oifere.
the Jobs they formerly held at lowe
wages than they were paid before leav
ing to answer their country's call.
AS result of these and kindred dis.
advantages, he stated that l. W. w
agltators are making more headway
than ever before.
There is only one sure way to rit
the country of the Bolshevist menace. ;
said Mr.. Frayne. THAT is to starve i
with plenty. We may talk as much a:
we please about agitators and Russian
Undoubtedly both must be stringentl.
guarded against. But we cannot guaro
against them so long as we permit cx
pioltatlon to exist anywhere, 50 long as
we leave life insecure and insufficient
for great share of the population
where abuses are rooted out, Boil
shevism has no cause to take root
Europe has proved, if any one needed
proof, that it is only the desperate
man who turns Bolshevik. There is no
reason why any man should reach
that stage in the United States of
America. But there are still employ
ers who must be taught this fact be-
fore we can be truly safe.
"The Lenine faction has its eyes on
America now. World conquest is its
aim, and it believes the hour is near
ing here. I believe that is not the
case. l believe there are enough real
Americans in America to save America
from any such thing. But they must
prove their Americanism as they go
along, from day to day, instead of
waiting for the crisis"