The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-02-24
Can Editorial from The philadelphia
North Anicfican.D

Formal announcement recently
made by samuel Gompers and 4 COM
mittee thai the American Federation
Of Labor has entered active politics
nrocleimf, a radical change In the
policy Of that body. and %signsiizcs the
entrance into American political at
faifF Of a large group " thoroughly
organized and disciplined voters
pledged to support a special class in
icrest.
President Oompers aud his able
-lioutrnants. who during h lani thirty
years have bcen carefully erecting
the structure OF the federation upon
the ruins Of old Knjshts of labor.
heretofore ave resisted. and success-
fully. the aggressive and growing de-
mand OF u minority that the organ
ization should transform the labor
movement into a machine FOR political
action. Mr.. Gompera was able 10
maintain his vifw by citing the fact
that u was an effort to sain political
control which wrecked the Knights
Of Labor. despite the able leadership
OF Terence v. P~owderly. and also by
showing that American labor had hct-
tered is condition FAR more through
the methods Of unionism b "a
European labor through ombroiling
itseif In party politics.
Attentive observers have long been
aware. however, that the federation
probably would adopt this course AT
the first opportunity which seemed
to promise advantage. They have
forcseen hat American workers
would be impressed by the startling
advances In power which The war
.lupheRvni enabled European labor 70
make through the medium OF politi-
cal action: the most notable INSTANCES,
OF course, ARE the overthrow OF the
Russian autocracy and changes Ia
Great Britain which are expected TO
result In labor control OF parliament
and the ministry.
IA one respect. az least. this II the
most inauspicious time that could
have been hosen FOR committing the
federation aud associated bodies TO "a
program OF politics.
Until very recently the struggle Of
organized labor for Industrial Justice
and economic bettermont had "a
general sympathy of the public de
spite the Inconvenience auu INJURY
suffered by society through the ire
auent strikes. the movement was sup
portcd by popular sentiment because
Of "a feeling that labor had no other
way ~ asserting its rights against
the arrogance and greed OF organized
capital.
But this sympathetic attitude un-
derwont a change during the war.
lTaking advantage of the universal
shortage OF goods, labor hecame ag-
| gressive and d~ictatorial' ana CON
Minced the public that. possessing
mower. unioniam would he not lcsr arr
rognnt. and F%raspinE than capital ~
was realization or this fact, which
was demonstrated In several inHthn-
ces. thai niionated popular support
from the movement
Thus while the American people In
no senso gave Endorsement 20 the
business policies OF D. United states
steel corporation, or 60 It's treatment
Of its employees. they touk sides in
~gtantiy against the steel strike. be-
cause they discernod in u b sinister
purposos Of revolution. When the
.,iWminous strike was called II htc-
wise wus met hy an Overwhelming
biaat OF disapproVnl directed not only
against the arbitrary and cNorhtiant
demand of the miners. but also
amlnHt their policy uf enforcing 'h'lr
cNactions by thrcatening a. an Hlicr-
native to deprive the nation OF an
labsotute necessary OF existence. And
lpubiic indignation was ready 60 burst
forth aenlnst the railroad brother
hoods and the affiliated unions if they
attempted 10 carry out their pro-
Lram Of paralyzing the iifo Of the
country ia order 20 Impose their VIII.
The announcement made by MT
Gompors has attracted widespread at
tention. aud hAH called forth renewed
cNpressluus Of the critical attitude
OF The public toward labor II rs
true that politicians have shown their
concern hy "a cautious silence aud by
calculating the possible effects of
political H~rtlNity boy labor upon Their
fortunes a. party leaders. But The.
impartial public has been hrutolly
frank 10 expressing ita sentiments
Ia discussions Of the matter two
contrasting ideas are developed. A
great nan persons treat the innn-
walton lightly. they insist that th"
federauon's policy ~ not really new,