The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1920-03-12
Shall Chaos or Reconstruction In
Europe Follow the Great
World War;
RADlCAlISM IN THE SADDLE
Without Q Definite Program, People
Everywhere Ar Demanding
Change In Prsssnt condItions-
Threat ~ "OIrsct ActloM."
sy PRANK coMgRFoRo.

0y FRANK coMERFoRp.
Radicalism In Europe Is rampant.
The workers are active. the middle
class sympathetic. The Industrial
centers are hotbeds. The conservatism
Of the farmers and peasants ID break
Ing down. II IL hard to define this
rdicalim-k II without form. II
isn't Z. definite program. II isn't even
political. The people are dissa tisfied.
The red dag 10 popular. II promises
. short cut. II answers the cry Of the
impatient. 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 nag from the hagpole.
now defending Il, carrying It and fol-
lowing It. l 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 a word
the attitude Of mind Of the workers
of Europe 10 eagerness for q change
some change-any change. Every
one knows the symptoms. understands
what IL wrong. but the remedy Is only
vaguely discussed.
attach much significance to 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 held.
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. the governments. They
were accompanied by threats Of gen
eral strikes II they were not acceded
to. This step Ii an innovation; L IL
revolutionary.
The working men are citizens and
have voice in the government equal
with all other citizens. After the peo-
pie have selected their representatives,
the men chosen should be responsible
to all Of the people without regard to
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 q minority In the labor movement
who challengingly call themselves so
cialists. to dictate to the state. repre-
sentins all Of the people. is an attack
upon democracy. II successful It
would destroy the state and leave the
great majority Of the people. including
the workers. less free than they are
now. What sane man. whether he Is
q working man or not. IL In favor Of
minority govsrnmentf
0emands Hard 70 Understand.
witnessed many demonstrations in
Europe under the red nag In which
the leaders demanded three things
from the government.
First, they demanded the release Of
al the men In jail who were held for
political crimes. These included men
found guilty Of sedition and treason
during the war. cannot understand
this demand. Why should men be re
leased from jail who sought to stab
In the back the men who went to the
trenches to dsht and die for freedomt
should much prefer to see all Of the
burglars released. n am compelled
to choose between the traitor and the
burglar. will have no trouble In max
Ing my decision.
Second. they demanded that no SOL
oilers be sent to Russia. The agitation
on this point was % strong that when
the British government attempted to
send soldiers to Russia last summer
(l010). the soldiers mutinied. and SO
far a. I am able to learn the feeling
was % strong. the situation % critical
the government did not dare court.
martial them.
Third, they demanded that all con.
scription laws be abolished.
II u apparent that these demands,
coming from . minority, backed by
threat. constitute an invasion Of the
rights Of the people. The question
isn't whether OF not one believes these
things should b done: the issue 10 the
method resortsd to. Personally l do
not believe soldiers should be sent to
Russia. In my opinion allied inter
meddling has been stupid and harmful,
bat n these matters Of general public
policy are to b decided. al Of the
pooDae should have q vote In making
up tie verdict.
When you considsr this new atti-
tudo Of labor In conjunctiou with the
growing popularity Of direct action"
4 Indicates that the labor movement
ID losing faith In law and political &C.
den. I an not saying hat their ex-
perience with politicA their betrayal
b. men they have s1pporte4 the d.
tault Of political parties to carry oct
pre- rejection pledges. may not b re-
Ipousible for Q disnust In political
I am NJ 6nnYnDR t&1f