The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-07-16
SIZE UP Of LABOR VOTE
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WILL VI VI I1lOOu WILL
Continued From Page one.l
source. From the department of Ia
Dor report on the migration Of ne
groes from the south, it appears that
| the total migration was $4,000 ex-
tending over a period OF = .nonths
during 1916 and 1917, and It il prob
had been under way before any eff
fort was made to determine the num-
Der Of negroes coming North. The
investigator in Georgia estimated that
between $4,000 and $4,000 negroes
left that state In 1861 and the
number from Alabama during the
same time Ia estimated at $4,000.
State officials make higher estimates,
placing the number to leave Georgia
at $4,000, Alabama $4,000 and Miss
issippi 100000. These negroes, who
the right of suffrage when they came
North, attracted by higher wages for
war work, better social conditions
and shorter hours. In Chicago the
influx Of new negro voters, especi-
ally in the Second ward in which
they are most numerous, has done
much to make Chicago republican
city, as was shown at the last muni-
cipal election.
The gain in labor vote from the
negro men and women who have
come North since the commencement
Of the European war Is more than
offset--considerably more than offset
by another element of change re-
sulting from war conditions. There
was, at the beginning Of the war In
1914, a very large number Of Slovac,
Hungarian and Croatian workmen
chiefly miners, dock laborers and
small traders who had taken out their
first papers" Of naturalization. The
former aliens from Germany and
Austro- Hungary.
War Halted Naturalization.
In October, 1912 less than two
years before the beginning Of the
war, the United States government
issued bulletin showing that e per
cent Of the natives Of Austria resi-
dent in the United States, twenty
one years of age and upward, were
unnaturalized, Sc per cent OF the ma
tives of Hungary. SO per cent Of the
of the natives of Bulgaria. The ces-
sation of naturalization to these all
ems, many of whom had taken out
their first papers" has left. Of course,
large number Of labor voters with
out suffrage. In 1910, the foreign
born population of the country lover
twenty one years Of age) was $685.
SIT. The number of naturalised was
3,034, 0G0. -
1t is probably fair and reasonable
estimate that the actual Tabor vote"
IN the United States in this years
presidential election will be 5000
900. not 100000. Much of this
vote, or at least a very large part of
It, Is in States additionally Repub-
lican-P Massachusetts,
Michigan. Illinois and Rhode ISLAND.
The doubtful or disputed States
which have a. large labor vote" are
New York, Ohio, Indiana Connec
ticut and New Jersey.
Solidarity Ia Lacking.
Campaign orators never fail to
extol the importance Of what they
call the tlabor vote"-that great mass
Of wage earners and producers who
are described as voting sOlidly to-
gether call for one and one for all.
This is euphonious., but It Is mis-
leading. No class Of voters ia more
frequently divided IN IT'S preferences
than are labor men and no class OF
the political field, its self-styled and
sometimes self appointed leaders"
A practical test of this was given In
New York City last year.
There are, or are claimed to be
here, 100000 members <of labor un-
ions. Last year these unions put
candidate in nomination for president
Of the board Of aldermen and he re-
ceived In the whole city just 1,6C5
votes. The name of the candidate
had. It is true, to be written in on
the ballot, process which caused
the loss of votes. In Chicago, at the
last municipal election, the labor
candidate for Mayor, an active un-
ion man and supported by all the un-~
ions, was fourth In the Ma9orality
race.
There is much ~oeful exaggeration
of the Importance of labor" In pol
itics. This is not due to the dearth
Of labor voters, but to the fact, re-
peatedly and conspiciously shown,
that labor men do not vote together
never have and probably never will
in the United States. After the two
regular parties have taken their
heavy toll of straightout democrats
and straightout republicans, and the
socialists to the number of, perhaps,
a million are drawn OF and the out
right aliens, the absentees, the nom
voters and the unaturalized are de,
Quoted there reman very few labor
voters-few when considered In con-
trast with an>electorate of 25.000,-
600 of which they form SO small .
part.