The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1921-01-07
"In Defense Of Liberty And Justice
And Freedom And Democracy
Organize" Adjures Labor's Chief

"open shop This movement has for
its aim the destruction of Joint rela-
tions between workers and employers,
the destruction Of the whole structure
of collective bargaining and joint
agreements which has brought so
much of democracy into the indus
trial life of our people There is fur
ther the effort to carry the affairs of
industry into yta realm of politics
through the establishment of various
kinds of governmental tribunals and
boards, which aim to make real col
lective bargaining impossible and to
make the relations between workers
and employers an endless litigation,
the consequences of which would prove
disaster of the first magnitude
Added to this is the heartless de-
termination of many powerful empoly-
ing interests to reduce wages and to
stop the wheels of production entirely
in many cases, resulting in great un-
employment
These are all issues that are be-
fore the workers of America They
are, in fact, issues that are before the
whole people, but they are of primary
Importance to the workers because
they mean to the workers everything
that makes for life and liberty in
democracy.
The great forces of reaction, of
creed, of organized plutocracy, have
thrown their challenge into the arena.
This challenge is backed by power.
No meekness of spirit, no smiling
countenanee of moderation will serve
to meet this brutal challenge For
this hour there is needed the stern
spirit, the set features, the earnest
will Of the fighting man
Selfshness does not know how to
meet the spirit of millions standing
together in unselfsh devotion to prin-
ciple for the common good Selfish
ness understands only selfshness.
Therein lies the great hope of liberty
and the preservation of human rights
and their extension.
The great American labor move
ment, organized for the protection of
all workers and for the aggressive
work of securing rights too long de-
MED, is the one great instrumentality
that can save the day for fundamental
justice and liberty and democracy
The strength of the protest against
the onslaughts of greed is measured
by the strength of the labor move
ment
Therefore, men and women of labor,
do that thing that is most feared by
the reactionairies of industry-org
ize into the trade union movement!
While you wander among the
clouds, wrapped in speculation and
dwelling among beautiful theories.
you strike no fear into the heart of
/ tyranny. Organize into trade unions,
mobilize your power where you work,
and you strengthen the cause of the
weak and oppressed everywhere The
trade union movement is making pro-
gress toward greater freedom faster
than any movement of men and wo-
men anywhere. There is no move
Iment so powerful to resist the inva-
Ision of eajolery and fiattery and
Itreachery it goes on and on to greater
heights, to great achievements.
At this hour of historic progress.
when the enemies of man seek to
gather for another desperate effort
against progress, should the working
people submit, should they do that
which their enemies would have them
do?
| No, thousand times no! In this
hour, give hope to humanity, give
strength to the cause of freedom
Grit your teeth and organize!
Greet the New Year with the CON
fidence of men and women who serve
the cause of humanity, armed with
right and justice, seeking only the
good of the great masses. Call the
clans of labor together. Tighten ur
the lines. Bring in the stragglers