Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1920-04-03
Shall Chaos or Reconstruction in
Europe Follow the Great
World War;
RADlCALISM IN THE SADDLE
Without q Definite Program, People
Everywhere Are Demanding a
Change in Present Como tons
Threat of Direct Action"
Article xl.
BY FRANK coMERFoRp.

6y HRNN CCM nj Ch u.
Radicalism in Europe is rampant.
The workers are active. the middle
class sympathetic The Industrial
centers are hothedS. The conservatism
Of the farmers and peasants is break
ing down. It is hard to define this
radicaljSm-tt is without form. 1t
isn't definite program. il isn't even
political The people are dissatisfied.
The red flag is popular II promises
short cut. II answers me CRY of the
impatient was surprised 70 SEQ
many Of the very men who fought ,
CALAMITY under their c00utrY's rag
and who hut yesterday would have
torn fhe red hag from the faGpole.
now defending t. Carrying il nu1 fol
towing jt aD sure they do pot know
what the red flag stands for To them
T. represents n uroteSt against III ms
as they are. Sumr~ed Hp in word
the attitude of mind If the workers
of Europe is - Eprness for change
some chanCe-any change Every
one knows the symptoms underSjar ; =
what is wrong. mt the remedy is only
vaguely discussed
! attach much significance 10 the
new attitude Of organized labor in
Europe. Labor unions formerly CON
cerned themselves with wages terms
of employment shop conditions safety
appliances recognition of Their right
of collective bargaining Since the
war the labor movement has taken up
questions entirely outside OF its ieid
questions properly the concern Of all
the people questions Of government
policy. have in mind recent de
mandS made by the WORKING men in
England, France and Italy These de
mandS were addressed to ne regularly
and properly elected representatives
Of the people. tho governments. They
were accompanied by threats of gen
eral strikes if they were not acceded
to. This step is an innovation il is
revolutionary
The working men are citizens and
have q voice In the government equal
with an other citizens. After the peO-
pie have selected their representatives.,
the men chosen should he responsible
to an Of the people without regard 10
class or station. A government by one
portion Of the people is autocratic.
Government of the people. for the peO-
pie. and by the people, means all Of
the people The effort on the part
of a minority in the labor movement
who challengingly call themselves so
cialistS. 10 d'CtHie 10 :he state. repre-
seatine all of the people. is an attack
upon democracy n successful IT
would destroy the state and leave the
great ma iorify Of the people, including
the workers. less free than they are
now. What sane man, whether he is
a working man or not, is in favor OF
minority government?
Demands Hard TO Understand.
witnessed many demonstrations in
Europe under the red flag, in which
the leaders demanded three things
from the government.
First they demanded the release of
all the men in jail who were held for
political crimes. These included men
found guilty Of sedtlon and treason
during the war, cannot understand
this demand Why should men be re
leased from t.h who sought to stab
in the back the men who went 10 the
trenches to fight and die for freedom ?
! should much prefer TO see all Of the
burglars released If am compelled
70 choose between the traitor and the
burglar, viii have no trouble in max
ing my decision.
Second they demanded that no sol
tliers he sent TO Russia The az taiion
on this point was so strong that when
the British government attempted -
send soldiers 70 Russia last summer
G9l9), The soldiers mutiuied. and 50
far as ! am able 10 learn the feeling
was SO strung. the situation so critical,
the government did not dare court
martial them.
Third. they demanded that all con
scr:ption laws be abolished.
Ii is apparent that these demands,
coming from minority, backed by a
threat. constitute an Invasion Of the
rights of the people. The question
isn't whether or not enc believes these
things should he done; the issue is the
method resorted 10. Personally I do
not believe soldiers should be sent 10
Russia In my opinion allied inter
medd:ug has been stupid and harmful
but If these matters If general public
policy are 10 he decided, an Of the
people should have vote IN making
up the verdict.
When you consider this new atti-
rude Of tabor in conjunction with the
growing popularity Of direct action.
il indicates that the labor movement
is losing faith in law and political &C
ton. am NOT saying that their ey
perience with politics. their betrayal
by men they have supported, me de
fault Of political parties 70 carry out
prediction plesices, may not be re-
spUEslHie for distruSt in political
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