The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-03-25
THE FEDERATION BLACKLIST

| THE FEDERATION BLACKLIST.
| The American Federation of Labor
is reported to be preparing a blacklist
on the rolls of which it will enter the
name of every congressman who voted
for the Esch-Cunmins railroad bill.
Members so voting will be marked for
defeat next fall Efforts at intimida-
tion having failed the federation will
attempt to inflict punishment. 1t
must realize that defeat of the So
called enemies of labor will not
bring about repeal of the law. Labor
has no enemies outside of the ranks
of the I. w. w.
The head OF the federation recently
has taken the position that govern
mental interference with strikes puts
the worker in the slave class. as it
| makes him work when he does not
want to. This of course is untrue
No compulsion is placed on the indf-
vidual. The government, in the inter-
est of the whole people, proposes to
curb the efforts of strong organiza-
tons to inflict injury on the general
public in their endeavor to obtain spe-
some time ago was deprived of power
detrimental to the public interest.
Popular sentiment demands that la
Dor be subject to the same restrictions
The people have learned that the COM
mTnity is the chief sufferer in the eff
forts of the unions to grasp control of
the sources eff production and distri-
| button
| Labor is not gaining anything by re-
strictins output and then clamoring
for wage increases so that it may out
bid all others to obtain what it wants.
1t can apply the remedy by helping to
increase production. Then it will get
real wages instead of more dollars
that merely aggravate an intolerable
situation.
| Labor, both organized and morgan
lied, continues to demand higher pay.
basing it's claim on the necessity of
equalizing the high cost of living.
Meantime every reduction in working
hours is hailed as victory for the
toiler and benefit to the community.
| The condition of the world disclosed
in the last year has demonstrated that
it is not mcney-or high wages-but
goods which constitute the essentials
of living that affect the condition of
the people and prove of value to So
ciety.
| When the output of commodities is
already deficient, any attempt still
further to restrict production either
by reducing working time or placing
limits on cndeavor. operates to the
disadvantage of all. such efforts to
"equalize the living cost" are simply
attempts to profit at the expense of
other groups in the community.
When certain agitators say they are
going to call a strike in order to get
compensation for the rise in the cost
Of living, they mean that they want
wages sufficient to enable the mem
! bers of their group to obtain in-re-
tuin for their labor as many of the
! necessities and comforts of life as they
got in normal times. This is impossi-
BILE unless the rest of society suffer,
for production is not large enough to
meet the demands of all. Wage in
creases simply give force to competi-
! tive buying in an under-supplied mar
ket. The workers as a whole have it
in their power to make the dollars
they receive worth one hundred cents.
Every strike cuts the purchasing pow
err of some other group. if not their
own, because it reduces the sum of
goods produced or distributed.
/