The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-08-06
Some Crimes of the American Legion.
The Legion and Labor.
By Arthur Warner in 'The Nationf.

When one considers that at least
nine out of ten Of the men mcbilized
by this country for the European War
belonged to what is commonly called
the "worktngclass," there must be |
wrong with an organization
among them that is regarded either
with veiled distrust or downright
hostility by the rank and file of
organized labor. The drift against the
Legion is apparent not only from the
columns of the labor press, but from
definite official action taken by
various bodies of workers. AS far back
as December, 1919, Detroit Local No.
127, Automobile, Aircraft, and Vehicle
Workers of America, ordered its
members to resign from the Amer
lean Legion or be fined $100. 1t was
alleged that the Legion had been used
to break strikes and that various
posts had violated the constitutional
right of free speech and assemblage."
Shortly after, members Of the Chica-
go Painters Union, Local No. 275, an
nounced their intention to exclude
Legionaries from their membership.
About the same time the Detroit
Federation of Labor, the central body
of the city, denounced the Legion by
resolution, and in the following May
the Central Federated Union of New
York-representing the entire mem
bcrship of the American Federation Of
Labor in the district-called upon it:
adherents to withdraw from the lie
gion, charging strikebreaking in con
nection with the dock workers fight
True, also, there have been expires
sions from labor in favor Of the LIE
| gion. The executive council of tn
| California State Federation of Labo
asserted its confidence in the Legion
early in 1920, while in the spring o
I the same year Samuel Gompers, pres
ident of the American Federation o
Labor, gave the Legion his indorse
ment, although he was careful to sa
he was speaking only in his persona
| capacity.
| What do the facts show? Here, un
fortunately for the Legion, there
| abundant material for labor's distrus'
The New Jersey department charter
4 ed ed post IN in Berhardsviif1e which ad
mittedly consisted mainly of men VIII
| had helped beat the "outlaw" railwa
strike. Opposition was withdraw
when the applicants consented to sig
a statement that as strike breaker
they had acted as individuals and nc
as prospective members of the Amer
ican Legion. A year ago the Citizen
Committee, organized by employers {
New York City to fight the doc
workers demands, announced throug
the press that it was using member
Of the American Legion to operate a
opposition trucking service. Whe
criticized, Legion officers did not den
the fact; they said the men were ac
ing as individuals.
Most open of all attacks on labt
by an influential body of the Legio
however, was that of the New Yoi
County organization year ago, Il
| Americanization Committee Of whic
under the chairmanship of Lorllal
!, Spencer, drew elaborate plans Fl
combating radical strikes" AS r
ported in the New York Times
May 7, 1920:
4 The Legion will act only when it
/ clearly established that the emergen
is inspired by radicals and only
cases where there is inconvenience
the public. No sides will be taken
Y ordinary labor disputes.
OF The Legion's preparations inclu
6 | a classification Of all its members,
that men may be ready at short n
tice for every kind of duty. Each pc
!. will receive classification cards,
: that it can report to the American
a zation Committee the exact number
men it has who are skilled in differe
trades. -.
u Mayor Spencer made it clear tn
n the Legion did not purpose to ia
r any part in labor troubles which we
n merely differences between employt
and employees and which did not
' volve the public welfare. The 81
J purpose, he said, was to protect I
y public when serious conditions arc
\ Mr.. Spencer's ingenious propo'
! to discriminate between good and b
! strikes makes it evident to anyo
= familiar with the A B C's Of the sity
tion that the consequence would be
\ tolerate unimportant squabbles o'
wages and hours, but to interfere
! controversies involving the under
ing rights and the progress Of I
labor movement. 80.
\ An Ally Of Big Business.
7 Birds Of feather flock togethe
q The converse Of labor's distrust
and hostility toward the Legion
\ found in the tenderness and affectl
felt for II by chambers Of CONNER
omployers' associations. and big bu