The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-06-11

tried to put him in Leavenworth. They
tried to get him like they got whole
lot of our class. They tried to get him
because he belongs to our class, be-
cause he knows he belongs to our
class, and because he is loyal to it.
They really thought they had him.
Business men in Pullman cars, lords
of finance in their clubs were rejoic-
ing. Their newspapers sang the prais-
es of the law which had ordered him
away for life. They were glad he was
doomed because he was a menace to
'our" institutions. Sour" institutions
are first of all the State, that consti-
tutional, legal, judge-balanced in
strument for disposing Of those who
are so un-American as to work, and
to plan to work for themselves in
stead of "our" country, "our" busi-
ness, "our" profits, "our" prestige,
"our' place among the nations. "Our'
other institutions include the open
shop, closed only when it pays "us"
to deflate labor and restore a normal
standard of living off low wages, un-
employment and long hours. They
wanted him safely put away in one
of "our" institutions where he could
not help to build up one Of our insti-
tutions, an industrial union, weapon
for our struggle. They thought they
had him. They looked for him but he
was gone. They were up against it.
Not every class war prisoner goes
away to Russia. Not every one has
a right to leave the work here. Bill
Haywood has work to do in Russia.
But there is work to do here also.
Our struggle is here, where our bos-
ses are, where our factories are, where
our-really ours-mines, factories,
fields, railroads and machines are
where our victory must be won. And
the work is being done here; the
struggle is being fought here. And
some of those who were found fight
ing it are up against it; up against
the law courts; up against strange
laws interpreted in way to shock
learned lawyers, and up against enor-
nous law costs.
What does it mean td-be up against
it? What do the big business men
think Of law cases? Do they get ur
against the law? Do they like to
fight each other, as they do fight
each other, in the courts or outside
of court. They shrink from lega
fights; they are too expensive. The
law courts are not suitable places il
which to transact business. Tn,
whole procedure is out Of date, un
suited to the morals, the practice o.
controlling industry by. business ant
dividing up the spoils on the basis O
the most for nothing to the shrewdest
Shrewd business men do not spent
their money in the law courts; Civ
ing money to the lawyers instead o
keeping it is poor business. A. lega
quarrel may ruin a business or hol
up an estate for years. Don't yo
like the old country sound of estate
Don't you feel at home, back in oil
Eruope, when you hear of some joll
good feller's 'estate'?)
Wise men keep away from the Law
But what if you come up against it
When the old capitalist system 9
waste, system of making profits b
letting industry produce only half 8
much as it might, and wastefully cor
suming half of what is produced, whe
this groggy system became MOI
groggy than ever, and when fear {
ruin and the end Of all profitab
things kept the best families avail
day and night, they began to ca
each other by the best name the
know, "Profiteer." And they passs
some laws to try to stop some ,
them bringing industry to a stan,
still in order to take all the profit
and they passed the laws also vii
the idea Of restoring general confi
ence "a popular belief in busine
mems buncombe is general conf
dence)-confidence in the trick Of 9
of them hindering industry by bus
ness necessity.
And so, some Of them come ,
against the law, and this is what ha
pens:
"The plumbing company and
officers were accused Of haviI
conspired to boost the price Of cor
modities, contrary to law"
Some Of them had evidently prof
eered. SO with due regard for bul
ness principles, and profit makil
practice, II was decided tha the col
pany should pay 100000 fine a,
the officers should go TO Jail like
indiscret thief for ninety days. B
the thing was SO unusual that I
case was appealed. II was so unhea
Of for any business man to be
against II just for doing what bu
ness mems sons 90 to college to lea