Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-24
Thursday, February "a, 1921.
WHO IS DESTROYING THE
UNION?

Chamber or Commerce mas lnVeStl-
gated the building situation in that
city and has recommended a wage
reduction of 1898 per cent and sug-
gests that the wage schedules run for
the calendar year, rather than to May
LIST.
Presumably some of labors repre-
sentatives will denounce this as a
move on the part of capital to destroy
the union. Indeed one might con-
clude from the apprehensions ex-
pressed respecting the destruction of
the union that it is a very fragile
affair. For anything so susceptible
TO injury it's prowess would seem to
have been. over Wanted. Not long
since it was to deprive us of fuel to
keep from freezing. 1t is now
muttering that if the war time wage
of railroad employees be net continued
it stands ready to keep food from the
hungry. And while doing these things
its leaders take occasion to object to
The giving of Rockefeller's money to
education because he came by it
through extortionate methods.
Today, labor stands squarely across
the threshold to revived building
operations. BY its insistence it pre-
vents every investor from putting his
money into building for investment
purposes. There can be no question
about this. Rockefeller in his palm
lest days was never more arrogant
And yet they tell us there is a move
ment on foot to destroy the union.
Rather the union is destroying ITSELF
If it adheres to its present methods
it will destroy itself or the country,
and the country is. inclined to object
to being destroyed, either by Rookie
fellerism at its worst or unionism at
it's worst
There is no lack of exhibits of
short sighted arrogance on the part
of union leadership, and here is one
OF them, a declaration from the
Typographical Record, announcing
what the printers propose to do to
curtail production and increase pay
for work DONE at this time when
every intelligent business man recog-
nizes the unmistakable demand for
greater production and lessened cost:
I'VE initiated the fight for the
eight-hour day over fifteen years ago.
and emerged victorious; today we
shall conquer the 44-hour week. and
tomorrow the six-hour day. The EN-.
ployers should thank their lucky
stars. or whatever they worship, that
we are not sufficiently militant to
demand the siX-hour day at this
time
Note the overbearing attitude, the
almost flippantly defiant expression,
the assumption which might be ex-
pressed: Whatever the union saws.
goes, see!" If this isn't headed di-
rectly toward bolshevism and the
anarchy with which bolshevism must
conclude. we have lost our sense of
direction.
Young Theodore Roosevelt adj
dressing the Pittsburg Press Club re-
Gently condemned as almost as bad
AS bolshevism the reported attempt
to destroy labor unions That, he
considered, was advocating condi-
tion which would surely engender
anarchy. He did not say, as he
might truthfully have done, that the
arrogance Of unionism is leading the
way to anarchy. Evidently he had
not read the Typographical Record
Had he done SO he might have in
ferred that others than employers
are agitating for destruction of the
union; he might have concluded that
the report of the attempt by boil
shevists to destroy unionism is well
founded.
Continuing he said. and very many
will agree with him,
The unions are essentially a right
and necessary part of our scheme of
relationship. The working people
need unions to protect and express
themselves. They have done a great
good in the country. Those who ad-
vocate their destruction are doing an
un-American, short sighted and mis-
chievous work. Opponents of the
unions urge that wrong actions have
been permitted by them, and they
have at times been represented by
crooked men. admit it, Have not,
however. business interests at times
done wrong. and have not they also
been at times represented by crooked
men? They most certainly have.
Human nature Is the same. whatever
the days job may be. There will be
a percentage of bad and foolish men
in every group of humans, from a
company of soldiers to a convention
of ministers
Very good, but any group of ''hu-
mans" that attempts to hold up"
society invites trouble--and hereto
fore has got what it invited. We
don't think the world has changed its
attitude toward that sort OF thing.
The union has been productive of
much good and some evil, such : as
grading labor Downward rather than