Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-04
PotIteery Responsible
For General Unrest,
STATES Labor Leader
BY EDWARD MARSHALL

| a recent government report ana Of
certain very costly actual difficulties
of the kind indicate we are. The con.
clusion of Hugh Frayne, general or
ganizer of the American Federation
of Labor and one of the best known
experts in the world, is that we are
! not.
"If we are to have many strikes,
said he somewhat graphically, they
will not be of labor against capital
but of captta iagainst labor"
There are certain details of the ex-
listing situation which Mr.. Frayne
would not discuss. One of these was
| the so-called outlaw union" phase
of the labor movement as it exists
in the United States today.
"It is my feeling" he said, "that
those matters will take care of them
selves"
do you believe that the condition
in America is seriously alarming?
inquired. Prophets are not lack
ing who declare that radicalism has
entered So deeply into the labor
movement that there is real danger
of a development out of economic
disputes into revolution"
No Signs OF Revolution
II am not prepared to answer that
| inquiry, either" he said slowly. Il
certainly will not say that dissatis-
faction with things as they are is de-
creaSing among American workers.
and | surely shall not say that I see
definite signs of an industrial revolu-
ton or a real movement in that di-
rection in the United States.
II shall leave your question I'M
answered, for the present, 1 be-
list and I don't wish to say that
everything is as it should be.
But 1 repeat that today most of
the strikes in the United States are
ployes."
And about the so-ca11ed outlaw
union i movement? I persisted.
some of the procedure of unions
which acted independent of the au-
thority of the executive officers of
their organizations have had real
provocation," he replied. "Such pro-
cedure in most instances has been
d9e to the failure of employers. to
ADJUST rea! grievances after they
have been brought to their attention
ty reasonable methods.
But that is not saying that
would encourage so-called 'indepen-
dent action on the part of union men.
accomplish. for the worker the best
OF which 1t is capable, discipline
must be maintained and the authori-
ty vested in the general offices Of
the unions must be respected.
These men have been chosen for
the offices which they occupy, pre-
signed to them, and, having been so
selected, they can do nothing else
save to. proceed in accordance with
the definite rules, regulations and
laws laid down for their guidance.
Public Need Not Worry
IT do not think the public need
worry about it seriously, no matter
how vital it's manifestations occa-
sionally may seem to be. Those in
authority in the ranks of labor will
adjust these difficulties in due time.
Il think I will reply to your query
that organized labor in America, as
a whole, is not now revolutionary,
and, think, is unlikely to become so.
D.. 4 will not attempt to deny that
outbreaks which properly may be
called revolutionary do occur in the
natlOn, from C1Ine 10 LlHS, Out 10
not hesitate to say that investigation
of such outbreaks usually; If nQt al
ways, has developed evidence that
they have been caused by employers
whose methods have been both TN
worthy and short-sighted.
employers to grasp the seriousness
Of the situation, and, having grasped
it, to deal with it in a business-lke
manner, which has given birth to
most of that which is called radical
ism, although, when I declare that
by no means all the trouble properly
can be charged to the worker, l must
not be misunderstood as saying that
no radicalism whatever has crept up
ward from the bottom or has been
created by irresponsibles animated by
Interior motives.
"Often the charge Of 'radicalism'
has been brought by an employer,
clouding of the issue so. that the pub
lie, misled as. to facts, may be
preiudiced against the worker.
Charges of radicalism" have
been brought against workers VINO
have been fighting for the correction
vances or to prevent their employers
Continued on Page q. Column -
from taking away various benefits
already achieved through long mad
self sacrificing effort, such as. the
eight-holr day. and other principals
established as the result Of long
struggle for the betterment Of in
dustrial conditions.
The Peril of the Profiteer
"Again I am not afraid Of revolu-
ton in the United States. America
has had her revolution.
"But If another ever shall occur 1t
will be due, I think rather to the at
fif1dn Of these short SIGHTED pfnn1nV-
ers and the misdemeanors, actual al
though not perhaps in the legal sence,
of the dangerous class which has
sprung up SO, luxuriantly in almost
of the war and has been given the
expressive name Of "profiteers"
They constitute, perhaps, the most
baleful influence of all today.
In the United States the profiteers
has made the lot of the majority of
it is .reasoable to believe that pure
Americanism, which glorifies in the
fact that it had its origin in revolt
against injustice, in due course
will revolt against this most fla
grant of all injustices if it is per-
ut is my belief, indeed 1t is my
positive knowledge that unchecked
profiteering is responsible for the
greater number of the strikes, which,
after all, have not been abnormally
Profiteers are not working peo-
pie, they are buyers and sellers,
what labor thinks.
"The situation at the present is
numerous. ..
different from any which hitherto
has existed in this country.
Citizens Organization
"a significant illustration Of this
is the fact that it has become almost
the custom for citizens to organize
themselves into groups, perhaps
loosely, perhaps very compactly, on
bot hsides. and appear before our
national legislative body or before
the legislative bodies of our states,
in the spirit of definite battle for
the legal protection Of what each
side has regarded as it's rights or
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