Pueblo chieftain., 1921-11-08
BY FREDERIC ]. HAsKIN

copied with much profit in this coun-
try is the British Middle Glasses
Union, which. has recently come to
exert a powerful political influence In
England. It's purpose is to promote
, the interests of the working man as
the chamber of commerce promotes
those OF business.
The need for similar organization
over here is especially evident just
now when the nation is threatened
with a railroad strike entailing wide
spread distress and chaos. III 1t comes
to pass. the greatest hardship will fail
not upon the rebellious railroad work.
ers nor upon the discontented railroad
owners, but upon the complacent
general public. which permits itself
to be made tho victim of industrial
mismanagement.
, 1t is the general public that will be
intolerably inconvenienced and the
general public that will pay double
prices for scarce supplies. Hence. re-
! gardless of where its sympathy lies.
i 1t is UP to the general public to pro-
tect itself by preventing the strike.
But this It is powerless to do. For In
this country the general public is un-
organized and never lifts its voice.
In England 1t is and 1t does When
the British citizen feels that he is be-
Ing Imposed upon he does not remain
passive and silent. He sets forth to
. IL meeting of the Middle Glasses Union.
where he discusses the matter with
great dignity and then writes to his
NJ. p.
Sir" he reminds that gentleman.
| 7 voted for you at the last election and
helped to give you your seat IN par
lament 1t is now time that you wero
showing your appreciation. We VINO
put you where you are expect you to
stand up on the floor of the house IKE
Of
ents are unable to pay increased In
come taxes, tram rates, telephone
rates telegraph rates. postal rates.
education rates, etc. Such increases
we consider to be intoierable. VIII
you kindly give the matter your I'm
mediate attention? (Signed-So-and-
So. Member of the Middle Glasses
Union)"
PARLIAMENT TAKES NOTICE
The NJ. P.'s eye is caught and held
by that signature. He is well ac-
auainted with the Middle Classes
Union. He remembers that out OF
three hundred candidates put up by
them at the polls at the last election.
almost a hundred won out. In view
of the Unions extreme youth ut is
only little over two years old) that
is record sufficient to make any NJ.
p. mind his P's and o's.
The great strength of tho Union Is
its non-political character. 1t refuses
to affiliate itself with any political
party, but throws Its votes to individ-
uals who have pledged to 1t their sup
port. At one time it hurls its whole
, force against organized labor. and the
next time 1t is equally .ferocious to-
ward organized capital. In describing
thA activities OF the Union. Lord Ask
with. its president, says:
The Union of tho Middle Classes
takes no sides in any Industrial quar-
rol. It's members are free to come to
any conclusion they choose. but the
organiza ton as n body is interested in
the welfare OF the community as a
whole. BY welfare we mean proper
distribution OF food. heat, light. and
clothing. When these things are
, threatened, then the members act as
one to safeguard themselves"
As an illustration OF how 1t works
the president relates how at Sheffield
tho workers in the power house which
supplied the city with light threatened
? to strike in sympathy with the miners
News of the proposed walk-out was
brought to the Sheffield branch of the
Middle Classes Union a few hours be-
fore 1t was scheduled to occur. The
secretary of the Union Immediately
. hurried forth and canvasscd the towr
for volunteers who would take the
places of the strikers. He succeeded
/ in securing 200 recruits. including
clerks, shop-keepers. professional mes
: and workers of all kinds. and finally
"A large contingent from the Sheffield
| golf links.
With this long list of volunteers ir
| hand. the secretary then rushed tt
the power house and soothed Its irat'
manager.
Call in your foreman" he said, "ant
, let me si.sw him this.
The foreman came and saw and wa.
conquered. After a short caucus will
: the res. of his workmen, he announced
, that there would be no strike.
This was not an expression of an
. tagonism against the miners or th'
i men in the power works. declares thu
, Unions president. 1T was merely ar
!. expression of selfpreservation on th'
part of the community.
t THE supply of food. milk. and Goa
G was threatened when the miners strik'
broke out. 1t seemed as tho the peo
= pie would have to starve for want o
= men to run the trains and ship th'
: foodstuffs. We recruited hundreds o
men to assist the government to pro
: vide coal and food to the cities an'
. outlying districts: we provided con
STABLES to guard the railway stations
- we supplied workers to run the mill
! trains The transportation tangl
: lasted longer than we anticipated. T,
= relieve those who had gone on dut.
: Immediately tie strike was called,
summons was sent out for an addition
= al force. BY the endN of the day ..
900 men had answered It, Again / sa.
4 1t sounds like strike-breaking. but /
q isn't. Those men were interested ii
|, their own families. their own homes
:. All of them were engaged In their in
dividual labors when the cali wen
o out. They left these to insure the wei
: fare of the community. the niddl
{ classes. the consumers. call II anythinl
o you will. When the regular trans
r portation workers came back to thei
Jobs. these men returned to theirs
:, NOT ANTI-LABOR
Such calls to duty are rare. however