davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20
THE SHAME OF WEST VIRGINIA,

1t is unnecessary now to waste more
of the precious time of the United
States senators and the taxpayers good
money in a further effort to discover
exactly what is going on in the Mingo
mining section Of West Virginia.
The recent cold-blooded murder CT
Sid Hatfield and young Chambers by
armed thugs in the employ of coal mine
operators was a powerfully effective
dramatization of the story told by wit:
ness after witness who appeared before
Senator Kenyon's Investigators
That story, stripped to its bones, was
that the life of no man who resists tho
unbridled reign of the operators and
the mcrcenaries is safe unless he is
ready and able to defend it. Hatfield
had offended the coal harons; he was
caught unarmed in an unguarded mo,
ment and he was destroyed.
These victims Of corporate vengeance
had appealed to civil authorities, up to
and including the governor of the
state, for protection. They did not,
however, foolishly imagine that they
would get it. When they were being
stalked by gang Of murderous cut,
threats through the streets of Welcn,
the stronghold of the Baldwin .Felts
outfit, in broad daylight, they knew
what was going to happen to them. So
did every other citizen of Weleh. But
the sheriff was conveniently absent;
| the governor "forgot' to send troops;
another gruesome tragedy was added
to West Virginia's shame.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20
Will Extreme Wealthy Escape Tax
Burden so Heavily Borne by Masses

Will the extreme wealthy in this
country escape the. tax burden 80
heavily borne by others?
VIII the tax now levied on the ex-
IRENE wealthy be shifted to others?
And will the war profiteers escape
| with their loot?
A highly organized PROPAGANDA to
abolish excess profits and reduce the
surtax feature Of the income tax law
has been conducted. The reduction,
of the surtax-or the cutting down of
the additional income tax on large in.
comes-will affect but a few thous.
and people. This group, while small.
represents the plutocracy of our coun-
try.
Organized labor demands that the
excess profits and surtaxes be re-
tanned.
It is stated that administration
leaders have agreed to abolish; the ex-
cess profits tax, dating back to the
first of the year. This means a loss
of half a billion dollars. Another
$sO,o00,00o will be lost through reduc::
ing the surtaxes, and $50,000,00O will
be lost by repeating the nuisance tax
and the tax on luxury clothing.
TO offset this loss it is proposed to
increase the income tax on all corpor-
atoms It is claimed that large cor
porations will profit by this plan at
the cost Of small business. Drastic
cuts in expenditures are also proposes.
Numerous kites are sent up to
sound public opinion on additional
taxes that are given the soot1.in .
term, tax readjustments." One lie
will tell us that all checks will be
taxed. but this ''feeler" brings such a
storm of protest that the kite falls to
the ground.
The next day another kite is sent
up to find out how a tax Of $40 on
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20

know from their experience in the
strike for tho 4S.hour week that the
printers are no molly-coddles. They
are too we'll organized to be conquered
so easily As Mr.. Harris would assume.
and their Union card is too precious TO
be surrendered for a cheap s'yelloW
dog' job.
The Citizens Alliance makes its
! boast, from the statement made in its
Bulletin that "The Pressmens
union called off their strike few days
| ago. About 20 OF them have returned
to work on the open shop 4s-hour week
basis.'
Since then the Bookbinders union
has voted to return and to temporarily
continue under the 4S.hour week. The
printers are now making the fight alone
as they did in 1905 and 1906, and when
they shall have won the 44-hour week,
which they eventually will, the press.
men and bookbinders will share in the
victory. They will be employed for
the 44-hour week also.
That is a fac: recognized by all i'll
formed employing printers. When the
printers win it will he impossible for
employers to force their pressmen az
hookbinders to work longer than the
printers.
There was fine piece of strategy
employed by the printing trades unions
when they permitted the pressmen and
bookbinders to return to work. Neither
Of the two latter trades was financially
able to Withstand long siege. The
printers can hold out indefinitely.
There are not sufficient competent non-
union printers in the country to man
all the printing offices involved in the
present strike. The Typographical
union is equipped to sustain every
member on strike for years. 1t can not
lose. Sooner or later the employers
will find it necessary, if they would
survive, to divorce themselves from the
Citizens Alliance, to make peace with
the printers, sign up for the 44~hour
week, and get "back to normalcy.''
A break is imminent and Mr.. Harris
and the "Citizens' Alliance are ad,
vised that it will not be on the side Of
the printers. When they shall have
won there will be no boasting by the
Union men that "they licked any
body but there will be rejoicing in
the houses of justice. and humanity
upon tho return of mutual shop rela.
tions between employers and employees
in the commercial branch of the printe
ing. industry.
If there is to be any licking' it
will be administered to the "Citizens'
Alliance" and kindred organizations
for their effrontery in buttiug into a
quarrel outside of their own family,
and in preventing the participants
from conciliating their differences.
And it will be a deserved "licking'
too.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20
"FRAMED' CONVENTION OPPOSED BY UNION LABOR

Organized labor. in Pennsylvania is
opposing the proposed constitutional
convention to be voted on in the
primary election. September 20.
The alert unionists declare the con-
vention is frame up" and cali on
all wage earners to register and then
vote ''No' against the plan.
In statement issued by the state
federation Of labor these reasons are
given for opposing the convention:
"'First-Because what we want is a
convention of liberal minded dele.
gates, elected on a non-partisan prin-
ciple, not convention composed :o1
machine politicians who VIII 40 sne
bidding of the anti-union corporations
steel and railroad trusts.
'Second-Authority is given the
governor to appoint Is OF the 1873
delegates who are to compose the con-
Vention. This means start Of rs for
the corporations. Only 81 more Is
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20

which prompted him to declare that
Inlay the Lord have mercy on all who
are discovered to have been using their
positions for personal profit.''
It is all very we'll to insist that petty
government employees ought to have q
high standard Of personal morals, but
it should not be forgotten that they
have been in continuous and intimate
contact with organized large-scaie
theft. 1t would be little short of a
miracle if the distinction between the
legalized and non-legalized modes OF
stealing always remained clear to them
Employees Of the internal revenue de-
partment as we'll as all other govern
ment departments have seen the I'M
mense hauls made by the beneficiaries
of special government. They have seen
in action the shipping board, the rail
ways, the dollar-a-year men. They have
been part and parcel of a government
that turned away its eyes when highly
placed individuals were dipping into
the treasury up to their elbows. Every.
body was doing it, and it need not be
surprising if some of the minor Off.
Gals took advantage of their oppor.
tunities to take what was in compari
son with the major stealings mere
petty-larceny graft.
The quickest way Of securing hon.
esty in government is for the govern.
ment to let it be known that no
amount Of wealth or influence can i'm
munize those who have jobbed anI
robbed the nation Of many billions
Of dollars. Punish the big crook and
the little crooks will take care of them.
selves.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20
INITIATING THE OSTRICH.

There is growing conviction on the
part Of so-called leaders Of finance and
industry that they have created a
Frankenstein that is very likely to turn
about and destroy them.
They started out year or so ago to
"deflate' the worker and the farmer,
and they did the job so thoroughly that
they have this nation perilously close to
the rocks.
The National City Bank of New
York tel1t its clients that 'the plain
truth is that the recovery of business
has not materialized, and it warns
them to "bewaro the ostrich-like atti
tude which buries it's head in undue
optimism and makes glowing prediction
for the immediate future that are not
possible of realization
Wall street realizes now that the
purchasing power Of the people has
been cut in two. Farmers and workers
have been "deflated' until they are
compelled to 50 along On the barest
necessities. The consequence is that
the bankers, manufacturers, merchants
the whole interminable tribe OF
profit~takers are suffering. They have
stopped up the sources of wealth, They
have in fact, "killed the goose tina:
lays the golden egg.''
1t is estimated that these two great
producing classes have lost almost $685.,
ooo,ooQ,ooo during the last year. That
tells the whole story Of business stag
nation. Had they been treated decent.
ly-and intelligently; had the breeders
Of hate and fomentors of strife been
rigldly suppressed at the very begin
ming of the bruted campaign to make
the "workers eat out Of their hands,
there would not today be- bread lines
and want and suffering over the length
and breadth Of the land, Prosperous
workers would have been making theil
normal purchases, farmers would b,
expending the fruits Of their industry
FOR all sorts Of things, factories would
be humming, bankers would 30 gather
ing in the wealth, and some very seri
Gus social problems would be non .ex
istent.
Selfish interests started out t,
"get" the workers, and they in ,
measure succeeded. But their weapo.
was a boomerang; It returned to cracl
them ON their, thick skulls, and now
when it is too late, they are takinl
stock only to learn In bitterness an ole
mentary truth-that It is impossib!'
to injure one group of citizens withou
injuring al other groups.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20
HENRY SPILLS THE BEANS.

The beans are all over the place.
Henry spilled 'om.
He keeps right Oh splitting EN-.
This Muscle Shoals nitrate plant and
water power, for instance.
Uncle Sam had left on his hands a
big, half.finishad water power project,
Millions Of dollars had been poured in,
and the others millions must be spent to
save the first.
Henry Ford offers to take the project
over, complete it, pay for it, pay inter-
est on deferred payments, agree to
limit his profit to per cent, agree to
sell his nitrates to the farmers at fair
prices; lot the government in in case Of
war and in peace time let it in for ex.
periments.
Mercy!
Tie idea Of buying anything from
Uncle Sam and paying for it!
Look at the railroads. Look at the
shipping board. The method is to buy
something from the government; bor-
row from the government the money to
pay; give bonds instead and keep the
money.
The idea of agreeing to turn over
anything to Uncle Sam in case OF war;
That's the time when the veriest dub
can stab the old man in the pocket.
book!
The idea of planning not to profitees
on ths farmers! The fertilizer gang
has proved for years that the farmer
| is an easy mark.
The idea Of disturbing conditions
by taking the Ford labor policy into
the south. The coal men and the steel
trust have set the standard for "hand,
ling labor' for years. 1t is alternate
doses Of injunctions and sawed-of1
shotguns-to be taken before eating.
| The idea Of building up 4 huge peace
time plant, adaptable for war time use
for high explosives, and not asking TO,
a protective tariff and a bonus, AMI
some tat contracts! The very idea Of
paying Uncle Sam instead of being
paid! Senator DUPONT can tell his col
league Newberry and the others few
things about such a project.
You just watch tho depth bombs drol
around the Ford plan when It gets Il
oongress-also the chloroform. Tht
Ford Muscle Shoals project steps on TIL
toes OF more Of our leading patriots
than anything has for years, '--
For Henry has sure spilled tho beans
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20

son, director Of the school Of forestry
in Sweden.
The country is backing up the claim
with wonderfully perfected system of
forest cultivation. Already the pro
duction of wealth from timber lands is
an industry that equals agriculture in
Importance. In the future it promises
to outstrip farming as national re-
source. It is hailed as "the future of
Sweden
One-half of the entire area of Swe.
den is covered with forests, and the
forester replaces as fast as the steam
saw takes. Private owners are required
to grow new trees when the old are
felled, and are not allowed to cut young
forests.
Forest fires which have worked such
devastation here are practically un'
known there, the forests being rigor.
ously guarded during the summer. The
small wood which must be cleared out,
is used for woodpulp and charcoal. An
excellent system Of waterways floats
the timber to the harbors. In short
Sweden has every natural facility to
control the lumber trade and is making
the most Of her advantages.
The attitude of Sweden should be an
eye-opener to this country. Something
has been done here in the way Of refo--
estration and conservation in the last
decade but it has ben tentative and
half-hearted, nothing adequate to Off
set the fearful and criminal waste of
earlier years.
It will require immediate and drastic
action if this greatest Of all natural re-
sources is to be saved.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20
THE PACKERS WIN.

Congress has passed a bill entitled
An Act to Regulate the Meat~packing
industry, although it will not do any
such thing, and congress knows it.
The senate admits it.
When the original bill which really
sought to regulate the meat-packing in
dustry had been revised in the house
committee on agriculture into the so.
called Haugen bill, embodying several
paragraphs written by Francis P.
Lightfoot, attorney for one Of the big
five packers, the senate did not accept
it as written.
The senate, by amendments, sought
to put teeth in the bill, but when the
amendments went to conference, tue
house conferees, being the same com,
mitteemen who had drawn the Haugen
bill, refused to accept them.
"Take the Haugen hill as it is or 70
packer legislation at this session. was
their ultimatum. And the senate ac-
coded.
The bill as passed takes much power
away from the Federal Trade commits
sion, which of itself, warns the hearts
Of the big five packers.
Next the coal men will try to get out
from under the Federal Trade commits.
sion, and congress will be asked to take
further powers from the one govern,
mental body which has made an ear
nest and effective effort to hedge the
aggressions of monopolistic combina.
tons.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20
DOING IT TO DUInTu

"None of the strikes in the building
trades have been officially called Off,
but many union workmen are accepting
jobs on the Open Shop plan, and arc
encouraged by tho union leaders to de
so, which shows they know the strikes
are lost.''
The above is taken from the "Citi.
zens' Alliance Bulletin.n It IL nd
doubt intended to bolster up the fal,
terlng hopes Of tho local anti.paioaists
Mr.. Harris il night. tNous AZ th,
strikes in the building trades hsvs ben
"a Is fieially sallaA 81, = md noas. viii ),
l Antil t y of llsstivs M
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20
BEeGARLy MILL WAGES
AROUSE. TEXAS EDITOR

Statements at the recent A. r. of
l.. convention that wages Of from
81 to 50 for a 6o-hour week are paid
in southern cotton mills have aroused
the Dallas, Tex, News editor.
'Is the establishment OF the mill
industry in the south worth the price
Of reducing human beings to a wage
scale of s Ito 80 a week under pres.
ent conditions?" he asks
THE statement may have been er"
roneous. 1t is to be hoped it was.
There are always possibilities Of that
sort. But. however that may be. the
publication of these figures 10 4 basis
for considering whether the lowered
social values which will come OF 4
sweated industry brought into south
ern life will not cost us more than
it will profit us. Could anything
compensate for the consciousness that
We prosper even in part by tho blood
ton OF the ilt-fed and underpaid:
The suggestion Is q challenge not
only to the social conscience Of the
south. but to the inventive genius aud
industrial management Of the coun.
try. If the cotton mill cannot exist
without cheap labor Of the sort that
il never cheap, it il time that the
cotton mill owner be converted to
deeeney and a proper regard TOR ,hu-
man happiness. II the cotton mill
cannot run without the exploitation
of. poverty. the south will b better
oft without it. IT. on thu other hand,
the mills now In the south sre belng
run with; wapton refusal to accord
to the workers their reasona BILE waes,
it is time to find out why"
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20
WORLD war HAS DOOMED
M|L|TARISM OF WORKER
The world war has aroused workers

The world war has aroused workers
to the drab existence and "militar-
lied" life in industry as conducted
today, says the Manchester Guardian.
which declares that "the war been
followed everywhere by a reduction
of the working day"
Military service had a resemblance
to the industrial system In the sense
that it imposed on mans freedom
the unrelenting power of a machine.
During the war the men serving in
the army often said they would give
anything to get back to the old mill
or the old shop. But what they re-
sented in military life was just this
control of their lives, and the indus
trial system was in this respect like
military service. that it treated tho
worker as part OF machine.
THE experience Of military aerv-
ice made men determined to have
more of their lives for their own en-
joyment and their own use, and thu
universal demand for a shorter work
ing day was the result Of this gen.
eral Impotence.
Does not the universal demand
for the shorter working day spring
from this desire to have more range
and choice and initiative in one's own
life? That desire inspired the long
drawn endurance Of the old hand looln
weaver and the passionate protests
of the Chartists. 1t has been strength
ened by education. and it has now
become resolute and insistent with the
experiences OF tho war;
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20

1.-THE printers strike is licked al,
ready, thanks to the firm stand taken
BY tho employers boasts open
Shop Harris in a recent issue Of the
"Citizens' Alliance Bulletin.
Only = novice At the game Of fight
Ing labor would make such IN idle
boast. Liekedl There il no such word
In laboe's vocabulary. 1t some times
10 1epplsed, but it is never defeated.
In this instance the printers are not
even sspulssd. They haven't begun to
fight yet. Up to the present time they
Aavs had but : fsw slirmiphsl. The
employers, bsttsf Than M, srris
kaew, the Il pea.aPA issl uni IIhey
rlti 81
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20

gaining is again restored in tho build.
ing industry. 1t may take = year and
it may take five to re.establish dem.
ocracy in industry here, but the fight
will 60 on until the employers con-
cede it. =
In some instances, it is true, union
workmen are accepting jobs in so.called
open shops and they are authorized
by their union to do so, but Mr.. Harris
concludes too quickly when he asserts
because of this "they know the strikes
are lost" In every instance where a
union workman has been authorized by
his union to accept work in a non-uniou
shop, such was given for good purpose
known to the union and, we believe, to
the employer. Union workmen are not
going to non.union jobs through any
weakening on their part, and their pres
ence there is no admission that strike
is lost. If Mr.. Harris does not know
their purpose it is not for US to tell
him. He'll know the reason soon
enough, and then we wonder what he III
have to say about it in his Bulletin?''
"The Citizens Alliance is bringing
in outside workmen nearly every day,
and nearly all of the open shop con.
tractors are we'll supplied with work
men,
That is another spice bit Of news
gathered from the Alliance and penned
by its versatile "Do.It.to- Duluth"
president. Bringing workmen into the
city while thousands Of our own people
are idle! Isn't that proud boast fox
a Duluth organization?
Outside workmen here, and their fam.
lilies in other cities to whom their earn.
ings over and above their board bills
are sent!
Duluth workmen idle, while their
families have no money with which to
purchase from the Glass Block, from
Friemuth :, from the Columbia and
other like storesi
!. Grocers and butchers suffering for
want Of normal trade, their customers
living on the barest necessities, due to
this criminal conspiracy Of Big Business
against labor!
Local business men and merchants
forced. under threat Of boycott to com
ply with its demand or perish!
Free. America! Glorious indepen.
dence! Sterling manhood! Ye gods!'
What arc the business men thinking
about when they lend moral and finar>
cial support to such q hell-making
movement?
If their stores are empty they have
none to blame but themselves.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20

The course of events: 1sl7-1a1s,
the war period; 1s1e-1s2o. the profit
eering period; 1891, the waEe-reduc-
ton period sometimes referred to al
the return to normalcy'). What OF
the future? The workers can make
it good if they will: 1t will be no i'm
provement over the past il they do
not try.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20
THE EYA.oP1N1R.

The forest Of the, Pacific coast Of
America exhausted and Sweden leading
the world il tho fierce composition II
the timber tn That 'iis The cheerful
psed lstioa Is Psofs ~ Gunner Aadsl.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20

While men were devoting too much
attention to the length Of skirts they
neglected their own interests and PEI.
mitted tho manufacturers to cut half i
yard from the tail Of shirts.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20

Henry Ford's policy Of not burglar.
izing the railroads will not add to his
popularity in Wall street.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20

No president has ever found it dit.
ficult to keep congress in linz at thu
feed trough.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20

Politicians who have been talking
tax reductions are not fools. They
simply think the people are.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20

When it is a matter Of trimming in.
nocent bystanders, the dogs Of war
have very little on the hogs Of peace.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20

Call the tariff by any name-and it
il being called some dreadful things
it is still 4 tau.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20

Merchandisers Of .hootch are no.
complaining Of 4 buyers strike.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-20
Ev1HY1opY WA DOING II

~V3&S0V01 WAN UV1NV II, "
AL honest men viii sympathixe with
Internal Revenue Commissioner Blair's
determination to tree his department
q disleJal s.d erafsing employees. It.
q not sso. sass ssto share ths ialdieaatioas