Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-02-27
USE YOUR VOTE -- NOT STRIKE
TO GET WHAT YOU WANT
Organized Farmers Advise Organized Labor
BY FREDERICK M. KERRY.
Associate Editor, N. E. A.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-There
is every indication that labor has
reached definite point of departure
IN the struggle to protect its economic
interests, wnere a new policy must be
adopted. AS a result, the time-hon-
ored methods of craft union organi-
cations of the A. F. of l.. and of the
four railroad brotherhoods may be
largely abandoned and a new plan of
campaign adopted.
Labor in the United States is reach
ing the point where economic action
the strike, the boycott and the clos.
ed shop-are not any longer sufficient
to win its battles. Labor right to
strike" has been questioned serious "
tor the first time in American history
by groups of the people other than
the employers.
The acton of the Department of
Justice, under the Lever Act, against
the coal miners was only the reflection
Of public sentiment which has made
itself felt in various ways, but which
IS agreed on one point-no body of
Worhngmen, no matter what their
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT in the production
Of a commodity or a service essential
to the life of the nation has an inhe-
rent right to strike. The vast body
Of the public which has come to hold
this view does not by any means hold
the view that labor has no right to
redress its grievances. 1t merely has
become convinced that labor has no
right to redress its grievances by
means of the strike. 1t demands that
some other method be found.
Labor men recognize this impalpa-
bic, but tremendous, force of public
sentiment. The coal miners Welded
before it. The railroad brothers do
not want to face it.
But in spite of this attitude, such
IS the sense of fairness and square
dealing inherent in the vast body of
public sentiment that the attempt to
write into the Cummins railroad bill
an anti-strike clause failed-not pri-
marily because labor opposed it, but
because public sentiment was against
it.
: This may seem paradoxical, but
! the explanation lies in. the fact that
the public realized that no effective
alternative method of adjusting griev-
ances was provided which justified the
prohibition of the strike.
Nevertheless, the sentiment is over
whelming that an alternative must be
found. Labor men feel it. They are
hunting around, somewhat blindlv, for
the remedy, because they realize that
labor, and not capital and not the
public" must find and propose the
necessary remedy.
That is why the American Fedora
ton of Labor through Samuel Com
. pers-life-long opponent of political
action by labor-has issued its state
ment that labor must enter politics
and elect congress favorable to la
boris interests. Labor has selec+ ed
the ballot as an alternative to the
strike, The position of the fedora
tion-in words at least-is not chang
ed from its former position of ere
warding friends" and furnishing enc
mles"-but, in fact, there is a ire
mendous advance. This shows itself
/ in the urging that labor get busy in
the primaries rather than in the cleo
tions. and see to it that men are Sc
+ lected who will protect lahor's inter
asts. Furthermore, the hand of the
federation has been forced by the or