The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-02-25
Shall Chaos or Reconstruction in
Europe Follow the Great
World War?
RADICALIsM IN THE SADDLE
Without a Definite Program, People
Everywhere Are Demanding a
Change in Present Conditions
Threat of Direct Action"
Article XII.
Ry FRANK coMERFoRD.

Inc workers are active, the middle
class sympathetic. The Industrial
centers are hotbeds. The conservatism
of the farmers and peasants is break
ing down. II is hard to define th
radicalism-it is without form. j,
isn't a definite program, it isn't ever
political. The people are dissatisfied
The. red flag is popular. It promise
Il short cut 1t answers the cry of tn
inpatient | was surprised to see
many of the very men who fought 50
calamity under their country's flag
and who but yesterday would have
torn the red flag from the flagpole
now defending it, carrying it and fol-
towing it. am sure they do not know
what the red flag stands for. To them
ii represents a protest against things
as they are. Summed up in word
the attitude of mind of the workers
Of Europe is eaeerness for a change
some change-any change. Every
one knows the symptoms understands
] what is wrong. but the remedy is only
vaguely discussed
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 field.
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 the regularly
and properly elected representatives
Of the people tho governments They
were accompanied by threats. of gen
eral strikes if they were not acceded
%. This step is an innovation; it is
revolutionary
The WORKING men are citizens and
have 4 voice in the government equal
with all other citizens. After the PEG
NE bIve selected their representatives
7 the amen chosen should be responsible
10 all Of the people without regard t
class or station. 4 government by one
norton Of the people is autocratic
government Of the people, FOR the PEG
Nle, ana by the people. means all OF
The people The effort on the par
IF minority in the labor movement
who challencingly call themselves So
cial!sts, 20 dictate to the state, repre-
senting MI of the people, is an attacl
| upon democracy. If successful /
would destroy the state and leave til,
great ma jority Of the people, including
he workers, less free than they ar,
now What sane man, whether he j:
u working man or not, is in favor o
minority government?
Demands Hard to Understand.
Witnessed many demonstrations il
f,urope under the red flag, in whicl
She leaders demanded three thing
from the government.
FIRST they demanded the release o
all the men in Jail who were held 70
political crimes These included mel
found guilty Of sedition and Treason
luring the war l cannot understan,
his demand Why should men be re
Fnased from Jail who sought to sta
in the back the men who went to tn
trenches to fight and die for freedom
| should much prefer. TO see all of tn
J. burglars released. If l am compelle
70 choose between the traitor and tn
burglar, will have no trouble in mab
ny my decision
Second. they demanded that no so
lerS be sent TO Russia. The agitatio
N this point was SO strong that whe
!. lie British government attempted t
end soldiers to Russia last summe
( ylo19). The soldiers mutinied, and 5
5. ar rs | am able to learn the feelin
VAS SO strong, The situation so critica
he government did not dare cour
martial them.
Third, they demanded that all COZ
'cription laws be abolished
u 1t is apparent that these demand
.omine from a minority, backed by
hreat. constitute an invasion of ii
: tights of the people The questio
I'll sn't whether or not one believes thes
81 hings should be done; the issue is til
! rc;hod resorted to. Personally l d
81 not believe soldiers should be sent |
III Russia. IN my opinion allied int
I neddling has been stupid and harmful
/ bul if these matters of general publ
I policy are to be decided, all of tt
! people should have vote in maxim
I up the verdict.
4 W,hen yol consider this new att
rude of labor in conjunction with ii
I growing, popularity of direct action
1t indicates that the labor movemel
1 is losing faith in law and political a
ton. am not saying. that their g
- perience with politics. their betray
by men they have supported, the d
fault of political parties to carry O,
prediction pledges, may not be r
sc sponsible for a distrust in polite
government. / am not denying TIL
capital has had the ear of governme
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