The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-10-08
ARE YOU
REGISTERED?
By Harry Call


am wondering how many OF the
workers in the timber industry are
going to be prepared to take their
part in making this event what it
should be.
We are on the eve of a national
election, great issues are involved,
strong forces are pulling for the
support of the American people to
decide issues that will vitality affect
our national life, perhaps for a
great many years longer than the
duration of the new administration.
How many of you can answer
the following questions in the af-
firmative:
Are you registered?
Are the other voting members
of your family registered?
Have you interested yourself in
the men and measures to be voted
upon in your respective states?
Have you talked these things
over with the members of your
family?
Have you analysed the reports
Of the records of the men seeking
office as published by your State
Federation of Labor, city central
body or your local union?
If you can't answer all of those
questions in the affirmative it is
time for you to get busy. 1t is a
duty that you owe to the country
to those who are dependent upon
you, to yourself.
For years we have sent our legis-
lative agents to the state legisla-
lures, we have pleaded with the
national congress for favorable
legislation, we have spent hundreds
of thousands of dollars, years of
time trying to convince men who
have nothing in common with labor
that they ought to do something for
labor. 1t is time to stop that. The
time for action is before election;
better use some good, clear reason
ing power now and not quite so much
begging power later.
We go into our local unions, our
central councils and state fedora
ton conventions and pass resolu-
tons instructing our representa-
tives to try to secure certain legis-
lation or amendments to existing
legislation that we know would be
beneficial to US as wage earners
But we do not do enough work be
| fore election to give them much Of
chance to get these things fol-
US, we send them to our Legislative
sessions with their hands tied, al
| because we did not put men in of
flee who have the right viewpoint.
AS long as we fail to do our full
duty on election day, we shall hav,
our injunction judges, our reac
tionary legislators, and equally re
dictionary governors. The officer
of local union or an information
al union are but reflections of tn
activity of the rank and file of tn
organization that put them there
This is just as true of the men an
women we put in our offices o
| public trust. If we do not displa,
the interest we should, if we do no
seek information and take counse
with our fellows we shall fall dow
on the job and we can blame n
one but ourselves.
And it is not argued that tn
other extreme, the radical GROUP
shall be placed in office; too man
themselves radical, are in realit
irrational. There has been too muc
hysteria, too much calling of names
too many smoke screens intende
to hide real issues. We need sea
son of reason, of constructive though
and action.
The condition of Russia today i
the result of repression, lack O
opportunity, industrial servitudt
Yet there are men in America VIII
call themselves statesmen VIII
through recent acts in the nationa
congress would fasten a similar con
dition on the people of America, tn
same indictment can be made agains
members of our state legislatures
They are living in yesterday; the
refuse to see or accept information.
Those men should be retired t
private life. There is nothing wron
with our form of government; w
have only let the administration o
government fall into the hands o
certain groups who have accepte,
their offices sin the spirit of thei
own power and not in the spirit O
public servants; human nature
much the same the world over, it vii
assert itself in diverse ways, bu
that nature that fails to recogniz
its responsibility to the people o
the nation is too dangerous to b
left in position of public trust.
There is neither time or oppor
tunity for a condition in Americ
similar to that in Russia; we hav
the means at hand with which t
make the necessary changes throug
an orderly process. Let us use tina
process. Let US go to the polls i
November and without thought O
personal ACKNOWLEDGMENT, party influ
ence, or financial gain, and for ono
in our lives vote for men and meas
ures that will be a greater guarante
of progress and national well-bein
than we have ever had before. Reg
lister! Think! Vote Perhap
next year you won't have to strik
so much or use up your union fund
in fighting injunctions.