Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-06
LABOR SITUATION
NOT REASSUR|NC
BY RALPH BURTON
Ueased Wire Service to The Journal.)
lCnnNrirht. 1921. !


WASHINGTON, Sept. 3,-Labor
day, 1921, finds the labor question
perhaps the greatest before the
American public. Indeed, there have
been few occasions in the history Of
the nation, despite the many great
Industrial disturbances that have oc-
Cured from time to tine when cir
cumstances have combined to throw
the labor problem everywhere into
such prominence.
Unemployment, strikes, 1ockouts,
warfare in West Virginia, threats Of
a general tie-up on the railroad sys-
TENS of the country, disturbed con-
ditionS in almost every craft and
trade, from theater musicians and
motion picture studio employees to
bricklayers, are symptoms of a
most diSquieting condition. And the
attitude Of labor, as manifested by
the leaders, does not tend to ale
viate the situation.
1.-THE most gigantic and widesp1 cad
lockout of wage earners in the his
tory of this country" is Frank Nor
ent unemployment situation. The
implication of his remark-and this
is something that many labor Lead
ers believe and some say openly--is
that the condition now existing is
deliberately engineered by powerful
ticularly those aligned with the
open shop" movement. Conspiracy"
is a word that labor uses N con-
nection with this view Of the Situa-
ton.
1.-THE report of considerable ele-
ment of our citizenship TO awaken
a considera BILE group OF wage earn
ers voluntarily suspendS work TO en-
force. better living conditions" Mr..
Morrison continues. Then stern de-
ton All other questions are subor-
dinated to that of breaking the
strike, regardless Of method or cast"
Mr.. Morrison is known as a con-
SENTATIVE, and does not often speak
with such bitterness. Less conserv-
alive leaders of organized labor are
keeping quiet-and that in itself is
a rather ominous circumstance. There
is no question but that labor is think
ing and feeling deeply.
The unemployment conference
planned by President Harding, at the
instigation of Secretary Hoover, is
viewed by labor with skepticlsm. AL
though a somewhat hopeful feeling
regarding the conference prevails at
the department of labor, union or
CARNATIONS themselves do not expect
much to result from it.
Nowhere, of course, has loss of con-
fidence in the intentions of the gov
eminent reached the point it has
reached in West Virginia. There,
thousands Of miners who say they
are jobless and who claim to have
been evicted from their homes, seem
actuated only by a blind desire for
revenge upon the mine owners and
their guardsmen.
Labor's attitude of mingled sus-
picion and defiance toward the rest
of the community has grown out Of
number of causes. Laboc resent
ed bitterly what it has called the
scrapping Of the machinery Of the
department of labor, built up dur
ing the war, at just the time when
it was needed to benefit wage caro-
ers, during the readjustment period.
Labor is fearful of the powerful
"open shop advocates. Laboe
charges many members of congress
of working in the interest of preda-
tory corporations and points to the
discovery CT such jokers in legisla-
ton as the industrial draft measure
killed out of the military bill last
year at the eleventh hour.
The railroad workers are talking
strike very vigorously. but will
probably remain at WORK. There is
feeling in their ranks that the
railroads are in serious straits at
best, and may have to call for fur
Their government help.