Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1921-08-19
Tom Nc Carly Speaks Out in
A LABOR STORY

The hall was crowded from floor
to ceiling. All sorts and conditions
of men were there. Half an hour
before eight O'Clock, the card Stand
ing Room Only" was hung outside
the hall. At eight o'clock sharp the
chairman and Mr.. McCarty, followed
by the two other speakers and the
committee, came onto the platform.
A moment of silence, sort of hushed
surprise seemed to spread through
the hall as Tom took his seat. A
small man he was, about five feet
four, bunch backed and crippled, but
with a face strong and fine as if
carved in granite. Big Irish black
eyes, and a mass Of black hair tumb-
led about the forehead. A smile of
pleasure lit up the face as he saw
the size and makeup of his audience.
And then great cheers of welcome
broke out again and again.
The chairman rose and introduced
Tom in a sentences: Friends, l
present to you Tom McCarty, one of
Ireland's and Americas greatest la
Dor orators And Tom rose and
faced his hearers.
my friends, it is kind Of you to
give me such greeting, kindness
always moves me SO deeply. / have
had so little in my life. I wonder
if l shall be arrested at the close of
my speech as / was two nights ago.
I took for my subject, why l Am a
Rebel and l was arrested. l don't
know why. Against what am I a
rebel? l am no rebel against that
Flag and all the fineness and freedom
for which it stands. I am no rebel
against the Constitution of this
country, of which I am IN humble
citizen. am a rebel against those
conditions, those forces all around
us, which makes it impossible for
the principles for which that Flag
stands to function. I am rebel
against all that stunts and lowers
man and womanhood. A rebel
against poverty, hunger and want,
against the conditions and causes
which make it impossible for half
the population of this country to en-
ter into all the attributes Of full
orbed citizenship. To have some fix
ture of tenure in their daily work.
To own their own home, and to have
no dread Of old age and closing years.
am here to fight and to rebel
against all that makes those condi-
lions impossible for half the popu-
lation of this country.
us that something criminal? 1t it
revolution? Something dangerous
to try and bring a little more heaven
and a little less hel into the lives Of
our fellow men and women and their
little children? II that is so, IL that
is criminal, then close your churches,
burn your bible, because these prin-
ciples for which l am pleading are
the principles Of Almighty God, of
Jesus Christ, of justice and right
eousness. They are the basic and
fundamental principles upon which
America il founded.
"Citizenship.-Af full orbed citizen
ship, free and possible to every man
and woman who is trying to live it.
This is the new world challenge for
Labor. My friends. am SO tired,
SO weary of mere economics, hours
and wages. Wages and hours. AL
ways that. Does it crowd our trade
union meetings.? What interest,
what enthusiasm what passion does
1t arouse in our ordinary weekly
meetings? None whatever.
1.-THE supreme call Of today is for
Capital and Labor, individually or
collectively, to get together to try
and find their common basis Of
agreement. The strike is a worn out
weapon, it is war and the world is
war weary. Whether international
war or industrial war. II the coal
miners of Great Britain, organized
and federated to their finger tips
could not win, who else will? 1t was
because England is weary of all war.
At the fundamental basis, capital and
labor are absolute partners" (Crys
of mo, no, take that back, Tom.")
Very well, listen. Mr.. Russell,
your biggest mill owner is with us
tonight. l am pleased to meet you
Mr.. Russell. Now let Mr.. Russell,
go into his mill, next Sunday, when
all is hushed and still. Let Mr.. Rus
sell take all his wealth or capital
with him, bundles and bundles Of
dollar bills, tied into rolls like
snake. 1t trails behind him, vast
sums Of money. But not a wheel
moves, not saw revolves, all is still.
Let him go on up to his camps.
Again all ia still not a tree falls