davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06
LANSING: LED: CABINET
ALONG WRONG PATHWAY

The Constitution # the United
States provides that when the Presi-
dent for any: reason cannot perform,
the duties of his office, he shall be
succeeded by the vice president. APP
parently, Secretary Of States Lansing
regarded this provision as a. dead
letter." for he called meetings Of tho
cabinet during President Wilson's ill.,
ness, and undertook to Formulate
most important public policies with
out consulting either. the President or
the vice president. " ...
The President, in his letter accept
ing L1ansing's resignation, says the
Secretary Of State set most danger
Gus prece dent, and that it should not
be permitted to pass without being
specifically and formally denounced.
1t is significant that the most pro-.
nounced reactionaries in the country
have FASTENED to Lansings: defense,
and have or iticised the President for
what they describe as an arbitrary
exercise of authority
The reactionaries' ferv1d defense Of
! Lansing may be accounted for by the.
| things Lansing and his associates did
while they were running: the govern
ment without Constitutional authori-
ty. 1t will be recalled, that they in
voked the provision tf the Lever act,
in an attempt to imprison coal min
ers who dared to strike for better
wages and improved conditions.
Under pretensc of suppressing Sc
dition, they established reign OF
| terror in certain sections Of the coun-
try, making illegal seizures and ar
rests, denying accused men the bene-
fit of counsel, and otherwise setting
aside the safeguards free people had
| erected against the encroachme1lts Of
| tyranny.
They brought us to the verge Of
war with Mexico.
They did many other things calcu-
lated to create discord at time when
| feeling in order that her citize ms
might bind up the wounds of war.
! President Wilson's dramatic re-
sumption of the reins Of authority put
an end to the talk of intervention in
Mexico, speedily adjusted the coal
strike and in measure restored the
sanity Of those: public officials charg-
ed with the duty Of safe guarding
the nation against treason and vio-
| lence.
If Mr.. Lansing was responsible for
launching the cabinet on this uncon-
stitutional orgy, then he committed
a very serious offense and may count
| himself fortunate that his punishment
is confined to a request for his resig-
nation. One English king lost his
throne, and another his head for that
| sort of thing.'-Labor.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06

large interests, it will mean that
labor will be tried by its opponents.
A governor hostile to union labor can
not be expected to appoint court
fair to labor.
And if labor does not abide by the
decision of this court, the court will
have power to take charge of the
books, records, strike funds and any
other money Of the union, GUST it
from the state, take away whatever
property 1t has, and put the leaders
in prison and the members in Jail
and collect a fine in addition.
This terrible power is sugar-coated
by provision for taking over the pro-
perty and similarly furnishing en-
ployers who do, not agree. The legis-
lature also recognizes collective bar
gaining and the right to quit work.
That these provisions are mere sugar,
however, is indicated by the fact that
it is conspiracy for a laboring man
to ask another to quit with him and
a criminal offense to urge anothe,
not to take his place.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06
ETERNAL JUSTICE.

The, man IS. tho ght : knave or fool,
f Or. bigoty plotting crime,
Who, for the advancement. of his
kind
! Is wiser;tha1l his time.
/ For him the hernlock shall distil;
For him tho axe. be barred;
, For him the giblet shall be. built:
For him the stake prepared:s,
Him shall the scorn.. and wrath Of
! Pursue with deadl. an;
And malice, envy, spite and lies.
Shalt desecrate his name
+ But Truth shall conquer at The last,
For round and round we run,
{ ana ever the right Gomez upperm ost,
! And ever is justice dore.
and live: there NOW such men as
these
WITH ~ thoughts like the great Of
Many: have died in, their. misery
| And left their thoughts untold:
And. many live, ana are IN ::ed as
| mad, e..
! =. And placed in the. old worlds ban,
For sending their brig hit -f:t<seeng
| =. : souls
Three centuries in tn van.
/ They toll; in. perjury: and: grief,
|. Unknown, II not, maligned;
! torlorn, forlorn, bearing the: scorn
or the n1eane@t e. m kind.
+ But yes%the wcrl;.: goes round and
! round,
And the genial seasons run,
J AND ever the Truth comes uppermost,
And eyer is Justice done.-Charies
MacAay: {Published in 1s62.y -
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06

because itsoccurred in a. large complex
population universally subject to mill
tary training and with military stand
ards Of political action. A population
long habituated to the use of arms
and to military methods seldom has
scruples against the use Of organized
force as political method. We could
scarcely hope that. it would be- differ
ent with use, and this, you will agree,
would result sooner or later in the
downfall Of our republic. It would be
fatuous to think that the little patri-
Otto civil instruction which might be
sandwiched in with compulsory train
ing would suffice to negative the tend
ency OF groups to achieve their ends
by the use OF the very methods Of or
ganized force TN which they were in
structed.
1T is more remarkable that any Of
our senate should consider favora bly
such a provision for compulsory train
ing when; as understand, no such
measure is being seriously contem-
! plated in Great Britain. Surely our
International position is analogous to
that Of Great Britain: What we need
is manifestly an efficient navy and an
efficient small standing army. II our
navy is efficient, surely the only
enemy we have to fear is within our
gates. But compulsory military train
ing would place arms in the hands Of
that enemy-would train our popula.
ton not for peaceful democracy, but
for: war, civil war!
EVERY. consideration Of patriotism
T and OF political prudence. therefore,
dictates that we hesitate long before
we enter: upon an experiment which
has SO often: proved the .undoing Of
nations, especially Of. free govern
ments, in the, past: I: trust, therefore,
that the unwisdom OF. this provision II,
the. army reorganization bill will be-
i come evident to you and: to your col
leagues in the senate and that it will
tbe speedily eliminated"
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06
Compulsory Military Training
Would Shatter American Ideals

Disastrous consequences of the uni
versal training provisions of the army
reorganization bill are pointed out in
a letter. to Senator Seldom p. Spencer
of the senate military: affairs. commit
tee from Charles "A. Ellwoor, profess
sor of sociology in the university OF
Missouri.
II feel it my duty to challenge the
wisdom OF the majority report Of the
senate military affairs committee
which approved provision for COM
pulsory military training in the army
reorganization ;bill," says Prof. ELL
wood.
"AN the more thoughtful students
OF social and political conditions with
whom have talked expressed amaze
ment that congress should consider
with favor such provision. The uni
versal training of large populations to
the use of arms has invariably been
followed in history by increased poll
teal disturbances, both internal and
external; and with our complex popu-
lation we could scarcely look for a
different result in our case What, for
example, will be the effect upon our
negro population Of this universal
training in the use of arms and in
organized military: action? No citizen
of the south, or Of the north either,
for that matter. can look with equa-
nimity upon the training in military
tactics of two million negroes. The
growing restlessness: and resentful-
ness of our negro population makes II
! more than possible that such military
knowledge might be used by them to
attempt to- redress> real or fancied
wrongs by organized force -
I'VE rightly fear E0lshevisn, pro-
letarian revolution, civil war between
classes, in this country If there is
one thing more certain than another
to bring to pass such an event in the
future, it is universal compulsory
| military training: It is q; comm onplace
among students Of social and political
affairs that the Russian revolution
took the bloody turn that it did only
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06
GARY BEST ExAMPlEoF
BENEVOLENT DEsPOT|SM

The .10-per-cent increase in the pay
Of day laborers in the plants Of the
United States Steel corporation is a
sign that Chairman Gary is still pur-
suing his policy Of taling care Of, his
own men in his own way, irrespec-
tive: Of outside criticism or inside
pressure. He believes in the control
Of industry by capital, and he. refuses
to tolerate suggestions made by the
national organizations of workmen
But though he is SO definitely rum
ming his own business, and 80 frankly
opposed to the democratic voice IL
industry, there is, It must be admitted, =
a sense Of fairmness in the man thai
leads him to revise his payroll from
time to time to keep step with the in
dex number of prices. He is a despot,
but, as he sees it, a benevolent one,
and there is much to be said for the
principle Of benevolent despotisna. It
gives, the laborer everything save his
freedom. and if he sets less store by
liberty than by other things he does
well to let the kindly monarch thrive.
The singleness of purpose in a mo-
narchy actually does make for great
er efficiency On tie other hand, one
can never be certain when benevo-
lent despotisnl such as Germany set
out to be, will cease to be benevolent.
It. is true enough that if the steel cor
poration were at the mercy Of the:
unions they would demand too much
and slay the goose that. lays passably
good wages. But >workmen and unions
are capable Of learning. One or two
such incidents might teach them not
to demand more than the wage fund
! would yield, mi hit teach them that:
there is a limit to the profits and the
! earnings # the richest company. The
| unions would be bound to discover
that management is essential. And
! when they had got this far there
! would be little to indicate a choice
between them and Gar, except an
cient arguments for democracy and
! against autoc: acy.
In reality the increase just an
nounced does no more than cover the
| rise in the cost Of living since the last
advance, II it does so much. But if
Judge Gary we1e blind as some of his
associates he would have yielded not
an inch. Because he is intelligent he
! has made himself the best argument
there-i IS for benevolent capitalism and
| the standard bearer Of the forces OPP
posed to the unions. 49, New York
! World.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06

down that prices may be- high. All
this operates to the benefit of Eur
ope in the days to come.
While many in close touch with
Washington hint at dark agreements
between the great Morgan syndicate
and European financiers, these are
probably only by-products of fun
damental situation and not causes.
Special privilege is probably doing
the things noted above through the
politicians because it would rather
sacrifice it's country than itself, and
we have reached a place in which
the financial despotism is as bad as
ia conQuering foe.
Most Of Europe is getting on it's
feet by means of public ownership or
drastic control of basic resources
and transportation. We developed
efficiency for the war by this means
and are now knocking ourselves off
our feet. America is sacrificing do
nestle peace and absolutely needed
foreign trade to the heather god of
monopoly exploitation.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06
KANSAS INDUSTRIAL COURT.

Kansas legislators have estab-
lished what they please to call an in
dustrial court, and we shall hear
much about this great progressive
STEP in the big newspapers and
magazines. Their praise is enough to
raise suspicion, and reading of the
main provisions will convince anv
one who follows labor matters that
labor is expected to yield all and
receive nothing.
The governor is to appoint the
court of three members. If labor
had any political voice this would
not be SO bad, but inasmuch as the
governor of Kansas is put in office
by machine politics, representing
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06

Again and again, in these days of
unrest, one reads that the thousands
commonly referred to as the workers
desire, and intend to have, cultural
opportunity. This demand rings out
with a reassuring tone. It is a note
OF hope and purpose. No doubt many
who sound the call, and who listen
to it, have enough to learn, but they
seem to be in the attitude that en-
courages the teacher. - Christian
Science Monitor.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06

Commenting editorially, the New
YORK times says of the compromise
railroad bill that it represents the
last attempt at regulation of private
operation" and if it fails there is
no escape from public ownership"
and reaches the conclusion that
there is a lawsuit in almost every
line Of it's financial provisions.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06
Union COAL MINERS DO
NOT OPPOSE MACHINERY

WASHINGTON, March 4. - Coal
owners told the Presidents coal. COM
mission that mine workers oppose ma.
chinery. y
The mine workers show that what
the coal owners object to :is the de-
mand of the workers to receive som
Of the benefits that FOLLOW the install
lation Of this machinery, s3z I
When the owners can't ''hoS" the
benefits they raise their present cry.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06
LABOR AND THE COURTS AGAIN.

Organized labor is justly appre-
hensive of the courts and of every
piece Of legislation that remotely con-
Germs labor. The mine workers ex-
perience with the Lever act shows
how legislation can be distorted by
the courts into an agency of oppres-
|sion. Strike agreements are converted
into conspiracies; movements for
protection are make to take on the
color OF sedition; a writ of injunc-
ton which labor assumed had been
laid away by the Clayton act has
come back to life, under the rulings
OF Judge Anderson of Indianapolis.
! 1t remained for a judge of the Su-
perior court Of Spokane county.
washington, to discover new means
OF furnishing labor. He declared that
labor in it's activities might become
general public nuisance; that it
night threaten the happiness of the
community, and destroy the hope of
the country. This is judge-made law
with a ven eance. For the court is
sued an order against members OF
labor organizations, making the DOS
session of card of membership an
Ievidence of contempt Of court, for
(which man might be thrown into
Jail at the will of the presiding judge.
If this decision is upheld, it is not
necessary for congress or the legis-
lature to pass any anti-strike legis-
lation or to extend any new authority
to the judiciary. All that is necessary
is for the prosecuting attorney to
come into court and show that or.
|ganized labor is annoying and dis.
'Iturbing the repose of the employers:
that the demand for increased wages
and shorter hours is an Inconvenience
Ito the capitalist, and the court NAV
tissue its, mandate against the union
or membership: in it, and then exc.
|cute his mandate by throwing any
violator into Jail for an indetermin.
late term.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06
HANSOh'S MAN LOSES

In the Seattle (Wash.) city Nj
maries, Duncan, the labor party can
didate, has been nominated for
mayor The thrt labor Candidates for
the council head the list Of six .oni-
nations made. A. noteworthy feature
of the election was the fast that Fitz-
gerald, representing Ole Hanson's
policies and with the Lacking of the
three controlled papers, ran a poor
third and was thus eliminated from
the general election.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06

standing that all contracts for a high
er figure to, be abrogated. Further
suggest, il possible, you secure an
agreement in writing by authorized
committee of Louisiana producers
and refiners, to be used as prinaa facie
evidence where prices are charged IN
excess Of agreement. You, are here
by instructed to Immediately prose-
cute any violator Of this agreed
price"
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06
BIRTH OF A GREAT MOVEMENT


sessions of the All-American Cooper
alive congress in Chicago, Feb. Is,
said that the movement there
launched marked an epoch in Ameri-
can history.
The congress opened on Lincoln's
birthday. It's declaration Of princi-
Piles and economic and social-form
"a new Emancipation Proclamation.
The workers and farmers from
Maine to the Pacific coast clasped
hands. They awoke to realization
of the unity of interest of those who
toll, OF all those who produce the
wealth which nourishes and supports
the world.
The Chicago congress was a re-
markable gathering of men and
women. 1t was remarkable in it's
unity of purpose; remarkable in it's
grim determination to fight for fun
damental democracy; remarkable in
the knowledge of economic condi-
| tons; remarkable in the vision Of
a better social order.
The Chicago congress was not a
political gathering. 1t kept away
from politics. Its purpose was eco
nomic. And the farmers from Ne
braska. Michigan, Wisconsin, Mime
sofa, North Dakota, Montana, WASH
ington and California suggested that
something like a prairie fire was
sweeping over this part of the coun-
try. They realize that they have no
one to rely upon. but themselves.
They have almost ceased to expect
anything from the government. They
are exploited by the railroads, the
banks, the packers; tho miirers, the
commission men, the spectators
and the gamblers who grow like
barnacles and fatten like parasites
on the labor of the farmer. These
farmers have come to feel that. the
only way out is through cooperation
|-the> voluntary getting together of
wheat growers, cattle raisers and
truck farmers. to warehouse and
market their produce collectively. AL
ready they are buying their machin,
cry. farm supplies, and household
needs through cooperative estab-
lishments. They are cutting out the
middlemen. The Nebraska farmers
alone did a business of over one hun
dred million dollars last year.
Organized labor made it's frs,
;showing of cooperative effort. The
Maintenance of Way brotherhood OF
Detroit displayed an exhibit of CO.
Operative production; of one million
dollars investment in manufacture
ing plants; of how they had cut the
cost of gloves, underwear, sweaters
socks and other supplies nearly 81
per cent to it's members. The Rail
way Machinists announced the first
bank controlled by labor organiza
ton. 1t is to be located in Washing
ton. The workers of the state Of
Washington presented a rapid mobil
ization of the labor and capital of thu
workers in building and loan as
Isolation, laundry, a packing plant
score of single mills, and as man,
more retail stores.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06
EXPLANATIONS" NOW IN
ORDER.

OAGDLNs
Soon the members of congress
who supported the railroad legisla-
ton demanded by Wall street will
ME writing explanations to their con-
stituents. 1t would be we'll to an
ticipate their excuses.
Some will say they voted for the
conference report because President
Wilson had announced that he in.
tended to return the railroads to pri-
vate ownership on March first. The
fact is that the President said he
would return the railroads unless
congress enacted legislation provid-
ing for their control and manage
ment in the future.
There was nothing in the Presi-
dents attitude to prevent congress
from passing simple resolution con-
tiruing federal control for at least
two years, and he has never sug-
gested that congress, if it decided to
return the railroads to their owners.
should undertake to guarantee divi-
dends on watered stock and throw
open the doors of the. federal trea-
sury for the purpose of providing
hundreds of millions of dollars to
meet current expenses.
Many congressman will lay great
stress on the amount of money the
government has lost" during the
period Of federal control. They will
not explain that freight and passen-
ger rates were only increased from
% to 40 per cent, and that the in
crease did not cover the full period
OF government operation. If it had
covered the full period the roads
would have paid their way, includ-
ing the exhorbitant rental which
congress itself had fixed.
The congressman will also care
fully avoid explaining that, accord
tns to Director General Hines, the
roads are now in a position to "break
even,' while return to private OWL
erehip will involve an increase of at
least Is per cent in freight and pas
senger rates.
The congressional explanation will
point out that, in the opinion of the
gentleman who is endeavoring to
"square' himself, the labor proyi-
sions of the conference report do not
deprive the workers of the right to
strike.
But nothing will be said about the
telegram which, according to Sam
uel Gompers, Thorn, chief lobbyist of
the railroads, sent to his employers
as soon as the conference report was
agreed upon. in which he declared
that the labor provisions of the con-
terence report were more satisfac.
tory to the railroad interests than
the anti-strike clauses of the Cum.
minis bill, because, under the Cum.
Minis bill it would be- necessary to
try the worker before a Jury and It
might be hard to convict him. hui
under the conference report he
might be dragged before a fedora,
Judge and sent to jail for contempt
The truth is that the vote on the
railroad bill furnished an unexam.
pied opportunity to separate the con.
gressional sheep from the congress
sional goats. Every member of The
house and senote had to make 8
choice between the interests of the
people and the interests of Wal
street. Those who voted with Wal
street should have their courage tc
stand by their guns, and not ATTEMPT
to escape the consequences of thei1
acts by formulating explanation.
which do not explain.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06
He GETS: The FISH.
BY ANISE.

u I AN4OE.
In a manufacturing town
In the east
Is a large. 7LANT
Progressive, up-to-date
In it's ideas.
And growing more prosperous
Every year,. -,
And the owner Of it. ,sald:
We are LUCKY
In having in our: force
A real -GEr-IODS
An INVENTOR!
You may be:Gute we:
TREAT him RIGHT,
Why: every year we give him
A'.whole months N.:n~ ton
TO go FISHING
And; his WAGES go on
just the same.
He wanders Oft somewhere
In the: deep woods
And sits. on a LOG
Overlooking a STREAM
Letting his mind relax
From the WORRIES
OF: daily work,
And somehow
Every" time that man gets back
He. brings: with him T..
A CORK1NG new IDEA!
I guess they come, to him
In those. quiet moods
When he's uNWORRIED
And has q chance to think
Quite undisturbed!:
Well, anyway, each I'll
We can practically COUNT
On a NEW invention
That's what. keeps us progressive
And up-to-date!
And we've made lot Of money
Out of it!''
Then somebody said: WHAT
Does the inventor get
Out Of that summer month
From which YOU get
So MUCH ."
Why" said to- owner
Of the factor,
HE gets-the FISH,
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06
WANT 81 AN. HOUR.

NEW HAVEN, Conn, March A.
Organized carpenters have rejected
an offer of employers to raise wages
to 80 cents an hour: The carpenters
presented their demand for 81 an
hour several months ago
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06

It seems prett. generally conceded
that John Barleycorn's death was due
to acute alcoholism. 81
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-03-06
TAILORs WANT MORE.

TA1LORS WANT MORGi.
DETROIT, Mich, March 4.-Jour-
neymen tailors have prepared a new
waEe scale which calls for \ minimum
OF 30 cents an hour. The rate is now
Is cents