The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-10-08
I.ABoR'S VALLEY Fo0aE,

LAD0H'4 VALLEY Yo4aE,
Tho so.called Duluth Employers
council, the employment agency Of the
Citizens alliance and tho Builders ex-
change, had fine bit Of propaganda
in the "Open Court" section of the
Duluth Evening Herald the other night.
The "council' doubts the accuracy
Of the estimate made by the q. s. Blu.
reau Of Labor Statistics to the effect
that there are 1000 less workers en-
ployed in Duluth than there were a
year ago. The estimate may be easily
verified. More than half the number
may be counted at the shipyard and the
| steel plant. It is not claimed thai
there are 1000 men living in Duluth
actually out Of employment. In all
probability many Of the former work.
ers at the steel plant and the shipyard
have left town.
Minneapolis shows 5000 less work
ers employed, but there are undoubted-
~ greater number Of unemployed men
there than in Duluth. Workers drift
into that city in large numbers when
| work becomes scarce in tho northwest
! The population Of Minneapolis is con-
stantly increasing, while Duluth is prac-
tically at standstill
However, even if there are not 1000
idle workers in Duluth, the fact that
there are any at all is an indictment
against the present industrial system.
There is food aplenty on tbs farms.
People in the cities are homeless. The
banks are filled with money. Construc.
ton work everywhere is awaiting the
word to start. Labor is without work
and many families are hungry. Of all
times this is no time for panic.
It does not do to attach all the blame
to the situation in Europe. We still
have our home market. We have PEG.
pie who need more food, moro clothing
and more shelter. Give them jobs at
living wages and they will set the
whole machinery Of industry into oper.
alton as if by magic. They will begin
to buy. They will create demand.
That will bring good times. That is all
there is to it.
But the men who control the indus
trial destiny Of America are not yet
ready for the return Of good times.
They have not succeeded in beating
wages down as low as they want them,
to be. They have not completed the job
they started at the close Of the war, in
which the Duluth Citizens Alliance
and the Builders Exchange are play
ing their shameful part here in Duluth.
The Duluth Employers Council is
sure that there are not many idle men
in Duluth, for its officers have found
it necessary to 60 elsewhere for build
ing trades workers to build houses in
Duluth. From the tone Of its letter to
tho Herald it is not having very good
luck in bringing outside workers. It
whines, "there are plenty Of jobs here
for the men who are willing to take
them at the wages and under the con.
ditions the employers offer.'' That's
just it, The thoughtful, forward look.
ing worker would prefer to pass
through this ''valley Forge'' now,
would rather go idle little longer than
to pull down the standards that have
been obtained, knowing that if he
stands true long enough there will in.
evitably be yorktown" industrial
victory that will clinch forever dem:
ocracy in industry.
The trouble with the anti.unionists
is that they have not yet learned what
the Americans workers are thinking
about They know little of their hopes
and less Of their spirit. That is why
they are losing out nearly everywhere.
1t IS true the can hire a few
'Hessians' to fight for the modern
"Georges,' but the great mass of the
American workers engaged in the war
FOR democracy in industry will CON.
tlnue to stand where tho patriots of
l77o stood in the struggle for political
freedom. There Will and can be no 70.
treat, even in the face Of hunger and
| cold.
THERE'S A REASON; SIX OF THEM
Wars do not, as did Topsy, .*iust
grow" They are not inevitable and
unacceptable visitations recurring at fire..
quent intervals to. plague mankind. They
are fomented and stage.managed by in.
dlvlduals and interests that have in
them pecuniary concern.
Because this is true, agitation for