The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-09-23
No Labor Dictatorship.

coAt oSPCs
on the contest now being waged
against the radical labor leaders, the
Republican Publicity Association,
through it's President, Hon. Jonathan
Bourne, Jr., says:
"In a recent address at Atlantic
City, Mr.. Gompers said in part, 1T is
not fair, it is not wise, to attempt to
crush the labor movement, so thor
oughly humanitarian, so thoroughly
patriotic, so willing to give service
to attempt to crush that movement be-
tween the upper milestone of employ
ers' antagonism and misrepresenta-
ton and the neither milestone of revo-
luton and societism.'
"All of which has a plausible sound,
but needs analysis.
"In the first place, there is no eff
fort to crush labor or any movement
Of labor that is humanitarian, patri-
otto and willing to give service. The
laborers of the country, taken as a
whole, are humanitarian, patriotic and
willing to give service. So far as
we know, no one eve asserted the
contrary. Mr.. Gompers, therefore. is
setting up a straw DOGGY in order to
assume a spectacular role in knock
ing it down. He leaves the inference
that all the effort to check the in
f~luence of certain radical labor leaders
is an attack upon the humanitarian,
patriotic and faithful workers of the
country. No one will be deceived.
There are certain facts of which
the people of this country are well
aware. Among these facts are the
following: Many labor leaders TO-
ment trouble and make unjust claims
in behalf of labor in order to strength
en- themselves with their organiza-
tions. During the war many labor
leaders encouraged workmen to shirk
on their jobs, particularly in ship
yards and on government work. Those
leaders are today striving to secure
the perpetuation of working rules
which require the rest Of the coun-
try to pay for service not rendered or
to pay %exorbitant rates for services
rendered outside of regular working
hours. The leaders who do these
things are not actuated by human
~itarian Of patriotic motives. They are
not giving service in any true sense.
"The contest that is now being
waged in this country is not against
the labor unconventional against hu-
m%anitarian purposes--not a%ntagonistic
to patriotism. 1t is aimed solely at
those radical labor leaders who would
assume dictatorship over industry and
who, in order to gain that dictatorship,
would threaten to tie up the transport
tation system regardless of the suf-
fering and loss of property and life
that would ensue.
Mr.. Gompers seems to assume that
what he calls the labor movement is
the only humanitarian, patriotic and
serving movement in the United State.
He overlooks the farmers who were
unable to get help to care for their
crops for a period of about three
three years. He overlooks the hun
dreds Of thousands of small house.
holders who are unable to get a re-
pair job done at a reasonable price
if radical labor leaders are permitted
to fix the wage scale and the rules of
work. He overlooks the producers
and consumers who pay the cost of
transportation. All these are just as
humanitarian, patriotic and willing to
serve as are the 1000, 900 for whom
Mr.. Gompers assumes to speak. If
there is any crushing done, it will be
done by the 100, O0O, 900, and it is safe
to assert that they will not use their
ultimate power to impose unjust terms
upon the 100000.
"All that the 100000, 900 ask is a
square deal, and they will not be di-
verted from their purpose by talk
about crushing humanitarian and pa
triotic movements. Every just de-
mand of labor will be upheld, but there
will be no permanent dictatorship by
radicals who happen to be in positions
of power"