The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-11-19
THE G. @. GROUP
MUST MAKE GOOD
OR QUIT THE JOB
(By Charles M. Kelley

The American people voted over
whelmingly for a change and they
are likely to get it. They made
their decision so emphatic, so con-
elusive, that the political group to
which has been delegated all govern
ment authority will not be in posi-
ton to offer an alibi if it fails to
realize popular expectations.
There is reason for the belief
that the Republican managers would
have preferred a less enthusiastic
vote of confidence, They wanted to
control the government, all right,
but they didn't wish that control to
be so complete that there could be
no side-stepping of responsibility for
any shortcomings that may be noted
by disappointed populace. They
are now placed where they must
make good or get ready for another
political revolution that will retire
them when the people are given an
other opportunity to impress their
views upon the nations politics.
There are grave and vital prob
lens awaiting consideration. We
nave not yet made a start in the
direction of solving our reconstruc-
ton problems. We have been con-
tent to drift, from bad to worse,
until today we are facing a situa-
ton that calls for the most en-
hghtened and disinterested states
manship on the part of the president
and congress.
Chief among these problems is
that of increasing unemployment.
Our cities are going forward to
the dead of winter with slack indus
try and discouraging prospects.
There is talk of establishing bread
lines in large centers of popula-
ton. The war increased the drift
of population towards the cities, and
now, when employment is with
drawn, there must be great and
widespread privation and suffering.
Any sort of government gets
along fairly well if it can keep the
people fed. There is no danger
when majority of the people are
getting three square meals a day.
But when the gaunt wolf of famine
bowls dismally in the industrial
wilderness, when that great mass of
mankind which is perpetually on
the border line of starvation is
thrust across, something is likely to
happen that will give the wisest
statesman cause for pause.
1t has been freely forecasted that
in the event of the election going a
certain way the forces of privilege
and greed will be heady to make
new and exorbitant demands upon
h4 IL
be true. But if an effort is made
to enlarge the oportunitis of the
privileged few, they should be very
careful to see that the people are
getting their meals regularly. The
statesmen of old realized that this,
is a prime prerequisite to any in
vasion of the rights of the masses.
They always distributed bread be-
fore they began to take tolls. They
knew that a hungry animal is an
unreasonable and unreasoning ami
NAL, and they were particular to
feed their subjects before they
launched any campaign of conquest.
This may be done in America.
Craftsmanship that is exhausted in
the formation of bread lnies is not
adequate to the needs of the hour.
When millions of men and women
are demanding justice they will not
be content with charity. When the
world is trying to adjust itself to
new and changing conditions it
would be very foolish, as well as
very futile, to attempt to force it
back into the old ways. New wine
cannot be contained in old barrels.
The old order is rotten to the core
and does not suffice for the growth
of new ideas that are firmly i'm
bedded in popular conscience and
are fervently crying for recognition
and application.
Perhaps Senator Harding and his
coadjutors have some practicable
scheme of rehabilitation. If so,
they did not give any intimation of
it's nature during the long and tire
some campaign. They asked the
people to take them on trust and
rely on them to do the right thing
The people responded bouyantly.
They have given Mr.. Harding and
his group the fullest opportunity to
try their hands at problems that so
far have baffled the best intellects
of the world.
The first of all problems, of
course, is that of keeping sufficient
food in the stomach and adequate
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