The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-11-21
THE AWAKENING or THE A. +. OF l..

Signs are not lacking that the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor Is at last awakening to the i'm
mutabe march OF human events. That Il has
at last begun to not only 1pudate the radicals
who have been directing its affairs but to vote
them out Of Its membership, is decidedly on
couraging; that It did not do this of its own
voiItIon at the time they were practicing their
greatest iniquiues but waited until a thoroughly
outraged public opinion forced IT, thus yielding
to tho inevitable "a matter Of policy rather
than II matter OF honesu conviction. is, to be
sure. dcplorable.
Once again The World desires TO say that tn.
American Federation OF Labor can find littlo
In it's record during the war period to point to
with pride; as much perhaps many OF the
capitolistIe groups but no more. 1t not only
permitted the radicals to direct its energies but
1t openly supported and defended them whils
they were doing And the Industrial re-
sources OF the nation were terrlfcally hamperei
thereby; the public outrageously mucted.
The president OF the Philadelphia manufae-
turcr's association has publicly announced that
his association has deliberately seized the first
opportunity to suspend operation until members
can purge their payros of radicals and incom-
petents forced on them during the war period
by an arrogant labor oligarchy; that they win
not reopen their establishments until they can
do so with complete control OF their employees
so far as their efficiency and character Is con.
ccrned
lie explains that every member Of the associa
ton was favorable to collective bargaining ana
preferred 10 conduct their establishments vita
organized labor, but that the impossible de-
mands OF that organization had loft them no re-
course but TO declare for the open shop and that
hcncetorth all would operate under open shop
conditions.
For this condition and this change In the
sentiment OF employers union leaders have
themselves to blame and no one else. No single
individual has more blame to shoulder for tho
change In public sentiment with respect to or
ganiged labor than Mr., Gompers himself. ami
eventually labor unions OF the conservative. SEN
sible kind will come 10 realize this. 1t stands
proven by hts attitude In the recent campaign.
Gompers has for years striven to establish n
dictatorial labor ollgarchy OF political nature.
with himself at the head as imperial dictator.
Nothing more inimical to labor as a whole could
have happened than for him to have realized hts
ambition. with every step OF achievement, he
became more radical and It Is easy to believe
that his condemnation OF Foster and Fitzpatrick
now springs from disappointment at their faii-
urc rather than from disapproval OF their de-
signs.
The disclosures being made by the Lockwood
Investigation In New York are of tho greatent
significance TO the whole labor movement
Either the mon charged by their members with
the direction ana control of organized labor
know OF these things or they didn't In either
case their uutrustw orthincss stands proven For
II they knew OF them and did not discharge
their obligations as citizens, they stand stripped
OF honorable purpose and appear as perils to the
public, II they did not know OF them then or
gani1cd labor under such management and dl.
recton appears as "A menace to all society
II is Yet possible for organized labor to re.
gain the lost ground. But It can only do 81
by the conservative straight-thinking, PATRIOTS
element taking fun control. And one OF the
] conditions absolutely essential. We think. is tho