The Connecticut labor press. (New Haven, Conn.) 191?-1921, 1920-10-09
THE ONLOOkER
81 cock my hat as please,
indoors or out. ''-W Walt Whitman


Senator Penrose, the one particular
wise-guy of the political forecasters, has
cast his optics over the situation and re-
ports that there is Strange and mark
ed apathy among the voters" The
seeming apathy may mean that there's
a period of deep thinking set in, and
that the people are sick of machine
made politics, but it's doubtful. The
old-time bosses are still in control of
the machinery even if stump speeches
and brass bands fail to enthuse, and as
the machine runs, so run the masses.
Plenty of big issues" says Penrose,
"but they are not to be found in the
platform of either of the big parteis.'
AS for the League of Nations issue, the
Senator thinks that "the people gen.
orally are sick and tired of it, How
ever true that may be of the nation, it
doesn't appear to be SO in Connecticut.
AT the state headquarters of both par
ties it is said that tWo-thirds of all the
literature called for is for that dealing
with the League of Nations.
Because there is a great demand for
League of Nations literature may not,
after all, be very significant The press
and platform, and the pulpit too, have
been hurting league propaganda for
months past. Naturally many people
are waking up and beginning to inquire
what it's all about. It's just like sell
ing patent medicine, the demand must
be created by advertising before the
people will bite and buy.
The old philosopher had it that it
only took an old woman, a cat and a
bell to start a new religion. So it is
with issues. Ho1ler long enough and
loud enough and there'1l be new issue
started, or a new ism, and if the hue
and cry is continued long enough many
people will flock after the Standard
bearers. Wage workers will be right
among the vanguard, frts in the ranks
leaders of the procession; yet, heaven
knows, the workers have got issues and
isms galore in their own ranks that have
needed thrashing out long since.
No need to go into details about this
one. John Golden of the United Tex
tile Workers of America, at the recent
| national convention of that organiza-
ton, hit the nail square on the head
| The open shop movement is an attempt
| to kill trade unionism"
And that reminds me that along back
| IN July Chambers of Commerce in this
state voted on the question as to wheth-
Ter or not they favored the open shop
Presumably they favored it, but if i
| was reported so officially I have fai1eo
| to note it. At the rooms of the New
Haven Chamber | was told that the re.
port is mot yet ready" l surmise thai
the report will be ready just about ths
time election is over.
1 Then there's the issue of permitting
| the sale of light wines and beers, sc
carefully sidestepped by the platform:
and speakers of both the old parties
But it was issue enough, it seems, te
cause the New Haven Chamber OF
Commerce to discuss it and go on rec
ord for the enforcement of the pro-
hibition law OF course the issue wa.
case of putting one over" on tht
Chamber, no one wanted it brought III
except. a few ardent prohfbs, but fol
once the hot heads had their way.
But, so far as the New Haven Cham.
Der of Commerce is concerned, thereT
be no great rush to enforce the pro
hibition law. Let George do it, and i
George fails to do it nobody gives {
| boot Meanwhile bad booze, or tht
results of its being inbibed, is disgust
| ing even the case-hardened police. Ii
| the old days the copper could size UT
the probable effects of drinking Whis-