The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1920-05-05
Lavish War Bonuses Planted In.
lection in All Classes of
Industry.
UNI0NISM PLACED ON trial
Organizations of Patriotic Citizens
Called On to Maintain Their lntea.
rity Against Types of Anarchy Pu.
Forward for Their Approval.
BY GEORGE j. KNOTT.
tEx-President Chicago topographic


Union)
One frequently hears the remark that
labor has at last come into it's own"
Industry during the war outbid itself
to secure its quota of man power; cor.
porations with juicy government CON
tracts competed with legitimate bust
ness in scattering war bonuses a
lavish hand, end wages skyrocketed
like magic. The fever became infec-
tious, the neceSs0ries of life began to
creep, then race skyWard, followed by
further increases in wages. Even con-
gross, which we have been taught to
believe represented the acme of con
centrated wisdom, lost it's head, bowed
to the threat OF railroad strike, end
now faces other impending crises.
Hostilities ceased and the world
Greathed more freely, but the momen-
tum in labor unrest increased. With
the decrease in war production capital
is hedging and crying for halt, but
the thirst for blood and wages created
by an abnormal period seems insatia-
bic. One has but to read to view with
apprehension the future. The strikes
the last year, now on, and those threat.
ening, not only in private enterprise.
but in semi-public and municipal gov
ernments which seem to be honey.
cOmbed with the strike hug, all lead
to somewhere. Has war profiteerng
outdone itself in scattering the dregs
of its bloated profits? Has it dragged
legitimate business with normal prof
its into vortex, possibly ending in
financial crash? Has labor uncovered
the pirates chest and carried away
the accumulated loot it has taught
itself for years was wrOngfully with
held? Has labor at the psychological
moment played the right card which
secures control of the affairs of men?.
How far can labor safely 70 IN this
development CT increasing power? Do
the interests of labor as class bear
4 relationship to the interests of the
radio lis gaining such ground that they
viii finally sweep tie conservative le-
ment into the discard? Will the loyal
true-blue American un;cnist who re-
veres his country for its ;pportuni.
ties and possibilities, its ideals ard
traditions, assert himself and maintain
his integrity as against the explosive
anarchy of other countries held up for
his approval?
Warming has been sounded that labor
is rushing toward the turn in the road
which spells collision and disaster,
while labor retOrts that while profit.
aering is on the increase labor will like
wise increase its demands. Will the
distemper gradually wear off, return.
ing by easy stages to normal times
or will the speeding-up process continue
until the situation ends in crash?
Collectively, labor endeavOrs to be
on the square, else its achievements
could not have been accomplished II
has made wonderful progress, notwth.
standing the handicap of limited vision
and the burden of unWise leadership
in spite of its mistakes, the result of
desperation in the unequal fight for an
equitable division Of its productive
force. Organized labor is now well in.
trenched, is a powerful factor pOliti,
cally, is able to control some indus.
tries completely, and unless it is
founded upon truth the assaults made
upon it by organized capital would long
ago have driven it to dissolution.