Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1920-04-24
Shall Chaos or Reconstruction in
Europe Follow the Great
World War;
RADICALIsM IN THE SADDLE
,,,,,no,, = Definite Program, People
Everywhere Are Demanding
cnsro. in Present Conditions
Threat CT Direct Action"
Article xl.
Nv FRANK coMERFoRD.


mn ,rorlcrs are active, the middle
class sympathetic. Inc mduStral
ccnters are hotbcds. The conservatism
of tho farmers and peasants is break
,,,,, d,vn II is hard to define this
,.,,,i,.oIism- is without form. 1t
toni 81 definite program, 1t isn't even
political. The people are dissatisfied,
/ The red flag is popular II promises
q short cut. II answers the cry OF the
,r,roticnt was surprised To see
,,o,,. or the very men who fought So
calamity under their c0untry's flag
and who but Yesterday would hav"
torn the red flag from the hngpole,
NOW defending it. carrying 1t and fol
i,,,.i,ot | am sure they do not know
what the red flag stands for. To them
II represents n protest against things
nc thov are. Summed up In word,
Tho attitude of mind of the workers
of Europe IS eagerness Tor change |
-somo changp-any change. Every |
ono knows the symptoms, understands |
What is wrong. but the remedy Is only |
vaguely discussed.
attach much significance to the
oou attitude of organized labor In
Europc. Labor unions formerly con
cerned themselves with wages, terms
If emplovment. shop conditions, safety
onnIionces. recognition Of their right
Of collective bargaining. Since the
war the labor movement has taken up
, questions entirely outside of Its field,
: questions properly the concern of all
tho people. questions Of government
, nolicy have in mind recent de
mands made by the working men in
England. France and Italy. These de-
" mands were addressed to the regularly
!, Ind properly elected representatives
= bf the people. the governments. They
! were accompanied BY threats of gen
:. eral strikes if they we're not acceded
to. This step is an Innovation; II IS
revolutionary.
= Tho working men are citizens and
have voice in the government equal
with all other citizens. After the peo-
!, ple have selected theircepresentatives
Y the men chosen shoplf be responsible
to all of the peoplf jthout regard tc
class or station. 4rnment by one
n portion of Ne rs e an.ocranc
Government Of the 17pfe, Tor the PEG
Pie, and by the ps ne. means all o.
the people. The fort on the par
of minority in tif labor movement
who challengingly aii themselves 80
c,oI,sts 70 dictate the state, repre-
senting all of the Ucple, Is an attac'
upon democracy. successlui
would destroy the sure ana leave IN
g great majority of the 3eople. including
q the workers, less free than they at
now. What sane man whether ne
a working man or nos is IN iaNor
e minority government?t
Is Demands Hard to Understand.
> I witnessed many REPRESENTATIONS
Europe under the red nag In whc
-. the leaders demanded three thlhe
- from the government
:, First, they demanded the release
=. all the men in jail WHO were helu II
~ political crimes. These included me
= found guilty of sedinon ana treas'
during the war. | cannot understai
~ this demand. Why should men be
leased from Jail who sought to st'
~ in the back the men who went to Il
!, trenches to fight and die for freedom
- should much preferlto see all OIL l
- burglars released. IL l am compell
TO choose between the traitor ana L
burglar, | will have no trouble In ma
ing my decision.
vi Second. they demanded that no s.
en dlers be sent to Russia. The agitatl
ia on this point was so strong that WIN
au the British government attempted
au send soldiers to Russia last sunni
1919). the soldiers mutinied. and
far ms I am able to learn the feel
- was so strong, the situation so critic
- the government did not dare cou
. martial them. .
Third, they demanded that all
scription laws be abolished.
lat II is apparent that these deman
coming from a minority, backed By
threat. constitute an invasion of
ger rights of the people. The quest
ed. isn't whether or not one believes tn
things should BE done; the issue is
by method resorted to. Personally
In net believe soldiers should be sent
Russia. In ray opinion allied In
meddling has been stupid and harm
Ing but II these matters of general pu
uce policy are to be decided, all of
people should have vote In mai
uD the verdict.
are When you consider this new {
ces- tude of labor in conjunction with
growing popularity of direct acti
II indicates that the labor moven
ood' Is losing faith in law and political
ME ton. | am not saying that their
IL. perience with politics. their betr
by men they have supported, the
ior fault of political parties to carry
or prediction pledges. may not be
tne sponsible for a distrust in poll
ignt government. / am mo- denying
a.x..ot 10. had the ear If GOVERN