davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-06-04

so on and on down tho corridor Of time,
lighting the trail that the world s
masses may follow in its wake.
True it is that the labor movement
has had it's setbacks. But every move.
ment having for its purpose the ad.
vancement of the cause Of humanity is
halted now and then. And temporary
defeats are not always without their
compensations, since they enable us to
better realize our shortcomings and set
about correcting them.
This prompts one to say-paradoxi.
cal though it may seem-that labor
never loses, but has ever the ultimate
victory. For after all, immediate vic
tories or defeats count little in the order
Of things; and whether they do or not,
this one fact stands out unchallenged:
the labor movement goes on winning,
winning-in sunshine aud in rain, in
snow and in caln--all along the line.
For we know that, however much
our enemies may assail the labor move
ment, however much its traitors may
try to stab it in the back, it will con-
tinue to function for the good Of hu-
mainly, because it is --i'1ing movement,
possessing both soul and spirit, and as
such can never die.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-06-04
THE LIE DIRECT.

1t has always caused some measure
Of bitter amusement, if that paradox
is permissible, when newspapers and
other propagandists Of the employing
classes talked about Labor "pro6teer.
ing" Labor papers and trade union
organizations endeavored to counteract
this fallacious propaganda during the
war period by showing that the increas-
es in wages at no time kept pace with
the manner in which living costs were
constantly soaring. But while the facts
were obvious and easily obtained, the
daily press kept up it's campaign against
Labor on the grounds that the workers
were emulating the example of their
economic masters and were Joining in
the profteering scramble.
The figures issued by Department of
Labor at Ottawa the other day give
the lie direct to those who intimatcd
that Labor was "profteering' The
statistics in question also knock higher
than the proverbial kite the argument
that the workers should be made to
suffer a. cut in wages at this time. #
was shown by the government figures
that while living costs increased from
1913 to 1920 to the extent Of lOl Der
cent, the weekly rate Of wages through
out the Dominion had only increased
1913 per cent. During the whole period
when prices were advancing very rap
idly, the workers were always in the
position of never being able to keep up
in the matter of wages. Always the
increases in the cost of diving were a
step, cor several steps, ahead of the
increases in wages.
But while it is so plainly evident
that, in all justice to the workers of
Canada, wages should be the last to feel
the downward trend, there are those
who are advocating immediate reduc-
tions along that line. The propagan-
dists of the selfish employing interests
would have wages be the last to 90 up
and the first to come down, with the
workers losing coming and going.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-06-04
BRITISH SUBJECTS N
JAPAN BETTING ON WAR.

British subjects in the Orient P,
betting three to one that Japan aS
America will be at war within #@
months, said Charles Edward 5}
sell, the writer. who wss a men. -
of the special Root mission to Rus ~
in 1917, when he arrived in San Fra
cisco from the Orient. III
He believes the mass Of the JAY 8
nese people do not want war " q
America. but they are being driv
helplessly along by the militarists III a
submerged when the time comes tx
strike. Whether it will take six
months or six years to verify the pre-
dictions will depend somewhat on tho
temper Of the people in this country
as we'll as Japan.
While the politicians have complete
power to do as they like in this mat
ter of piling up the burdens of mill
tarism on the people at home With
their schemes of building up the
greatest navy" and the greatest
army" and bluffing or terrorizing the
politicians abroad and causing them
to resort to the same idiotic tactics,
it is not so certain that there is 60
ing to be the same degree Of patri-
otto enthusiasm displayed for another
war.as there was the last time, which
was hardly worth boasting about at
that.
1t is not quite clear just what the
next war will be about, but in all
proba bility that little matter will be
attended to in due time by our polit-
ical saviors.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-06-04
BANKERS NEWSPAPER
BUTTS into BATTLE

The Minnesota Bank. published In
the interest of the state bankers. has
butted into the fight on labor and
supports the coercive and intimidat-
ing methods of the anti-unionists in
their campaign against the labor
unions. This is how it comments on
the present situaion:
The open shop movement. now
we'll under way all over the United
States, is deemed by its proponents
as the prime means Of bringing about
lowered labor costs and with them
increased production.
when such a gigantic force in the
industry of the country as the Beth
lehenl Steel company openly an
nounces it's aid for this movement,
even to the extent of refusing to sell
it's product to manufacturers not IA
voring the open shop idea, it 10 at
once evident what vast momentum the
open shop movement is obtaining.
There is no question as to the
economic value Of the open shop.
But, at the same time, those who
are pushing it must be most care
full in their methods. The open shop
movement is a. powder magazine. A
carelessly thrown match might start
nationwide conflagration. The
closed shop is jealousy fought by
the radical wing Of labor organiza-
ton.
THE open shop can be the most
readily brought about by the elim;na-
ton of this element in power in or
ganized labor. The conservative labor
man is one to whom sound argument
and sound horse sense appeal. He is
the rope Of the open shop proponent
and upon him in the final analysis
will rest the matter of accepting the
idea philosophically, in the right
spirit. without disrupting the entire
industrial situation by means Of dis
astrous strikes and lockouts.
"The open shop argument must be
addressed, therefore, to the better
sense and judgment of the conserv-
alive in organized labor. He must
be won over to the soundness of the
proposition. This is the ideal thing
to do and it can be done in many
parts of the country. In others, where
the radical element is too strongly
entrenched, there is, Of course, but
one final thing to do, and that is to
beat them by force.
They must be locked out and
licked until the conservatives see the
light and realize that the rights Of
capital must be considered. This
harsher method, however, should not
be employed until all other plans have
failed
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-06-04
HORRORS OF PEACE,

The number of American soldiers
killed i'll battle is placed at 5O,l51. Dur
ing the same period the number Of
American workers killed in their line
Of duty was 1864.
On the battle front men laid their
lives on the altar of patriotism and
gladly sacrificed themselves for an
ideal. In the mines and mills, on the
railroads, wherever industry turns the
wheels Of progress men. women and
little children lay their lives on the
altar Of necessity and die in striving
for the wage that means shelter, food
and clothing for themselves and those
dependent on them, says the Cigarmak-
ers' Journal
The mutilations Of modern warfare
are not to be compared with the mutt
lations of high speed industrial ell
deavor. For every mas blown to pieces
by gun-fre we find two or more have
been blown to pieces in our mines and
quarries by premature blasts or the
deadly mine gas.
We: accept as matter Of fact the
horrors Of war. They are necessary
adjunct to war. In fact, war means
only humiliation Of life and limb and
the destruction Of property. We should
not accept with the same nonchalance
the horrors Of peace. They are largely
unnecessary and are only tolerated by
the workers because they lack the or
ganizeed resistance necessary to wipe
them forever out Of our industrial life.
Human life is said by some to be
cheap. 1t will be held cheap by the
employer just 80 long az the workers
accept his valuation of it. There is
one factor that is doing more to en-
nance the valuation Of life and limb
than any other and that is the trades
union. This power for good is continu-
ously on the job forcing the better
ment Of conditions under which we
work and live. Its power will grow
and it, results be more manifest as
tho workers realize its power for their
betterment and as they see its neces.
sity, and become part Of it by joining
the union Of their own particular in
dustry. "a. ..ss. LII I. Dbl x.s :, r.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-06-04
A SAFE STANDARD.

The quotation "Patriotism is the last
resort Of scoundre]s,' has been made
use of with some frequency during the
last few years, but it has probably not
been overworked or used without justi-
hcatlon in many cases. It is surpris-
ing, too, the number Of otherwise level
headed people who mistake fanaticism
and violent prejudice for patriotism.
And while the, proof Of patriotism
does not lie in the ease and auency
with which the claiming patriot pro-
claims his love of country, neither do
the violent mouthings of person ell
gagged in the activities Of any move.
ment prove such one to be the most
loyal to the movement. In the working
class movement The workers, must not
be misled by the ease with which indi-
vlduals can deliver themselves Of un-
limited numbers Of empty platitudes.
The great need of the working masses
is solidarity. And any man, or set of
men, whose Vaccinations divide the
workers and dissipate their strength,
are disloyal to the working class, how
ever forceful and violent may be their
claim to understand and sympathize
with the workers. needs.
There is safe standard by which
the workers can judge the faithfulness
or otherwise of those who may be active
in working class organizations. That
is what is being accomplished. The
man whe is obtaining something fo,.
the workers, or who is intensifying the
solidarity. Of their organizations, is JUS
tifying the confidence placed in him.
But the individual whose activities con
sist of airing his irrelevant, however
plausible, theories and the one who
would sacrifice the workers. organiza.
tions in order to satisfy personal ambi-
tions are betraying the confidence
placed in them and are, unconsciously
or otherwise, aiding the workers' ene'
mics. Solidarity is the workers. imme:
date and vital need and the true
working class patriot IS the one whose
efforts are directed unreservedly in that
! direction.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-06-04
FOR PLAIN HONESTY.

The printing trade unions are win
ming their nationwide fight to enforce
a 44-hour agreement.
This strike is for more than reduc-
ton of four hours Heek-it involves
broken ple2ge by employers who are
being supported by every anti.union in
fucuce in the country.
The agree nent was made two years
ago. Now, it is repudiated and this
treachcrv is condoned by other business
men aud their allies, who ignore the
first test Of manhood.
The original question-a reduction Of
four hours weeks submerged by
this violation Of pledged word.
The printing trade employers are not
alone in their sinister policy. Ever
other employer who aids them is equally
guilty Of violating the first law be
tween men and the first essential to
industrial understanding.
The unions are not only fighting to
reinstate the. agreement, but they are
fighting to save the employers from
themselves.
What if the future if it were possible
for the allied forces of anti-unionism
to repudiate an agreement like the
present one:
These employers are sowing to reap
whirlwind.
Do they imagine that millions Of or
gained wage earl>ers will overlook this
incident? Or that these workers will
hereafter rely on pledged word rather
than on tn cir own power?
Will the experience of the printing
trade unions be warning to other or
CARNATIONS of wage earners that the
word of business men is worthless'
Do those editors who, by their sill
ence, approve reputation imagine that
they will hereafter have any influence
with the wage earners3
If the printing trade union<--or any
other trade union--acted as these en-
ployers and their allies. do, it would be
treated as national scandal by our
"molders of public opinion.
| The men who now make a pledged
word the football OF cxrediency would
rock the country with their denuncia-
ton of this agreement violation by the
unions
And they would be justified in this
denunclation, as are thu printing trade
! unions justified iu insisting that if or
DERBY procedure, and not chats, is to
prevail, a pledged word between men
must be considered in,ioate.
In discussing contract breaking be.
tween business men, The Anna]ist, rep.
| resentative New York financial paper
said tissue. Angus, %, 1920: "It is a
fact that contracts with firms Of. the
first order are ROW asked to b.: eonsid,
cred as scraps Of pa.,cr.''
If business men would break con.
tracts between themselves, that is their
affair.
But. organized labor insists that the
nation 5 industrial policy must not be
based on trickery and deceit.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-06-04
WORTH FIGHTING FOR.

!. After all, the labor movement is
wonderful thing. It is something to
he proud of. 1t is something that lives
All the time. It has soul and spirit.
4nd because of that it can never die.
1t is a movement that is fired with
The grandest social ideals of the race.
demanding for millions Of men, women
and children the right to economic and
political independence, lofty citizen.
ship and higher civilization.
It is movement that is a. broad
as humanity itself, because it makes
for more virtuous and intelligent
manhood and womanhood. And what
is best about it is the fact that it takes
the humblest worker from his toll and
E1ahos him before the world the equal
of every man.
Powerful enemies backed by the
money power and by social and political
influence, have assailed it in the past.
But it has stood firm in every assault
made against it. And be sure that.
although it be attacked over and over
again, it will continue to stand erect
and four-square against every enemy
scheming to bring about its downfall.
; 1t is impossible to kill the labor move.
anent, because it is a religion that is
deep rooted in the life of every man
on this planet. And even were it rent
into pieces, and scattered broadcast, it
would still continue to gather force, and
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-06-04
1T Is SOME PARADOX.

In defining the slogan, American
Plan,' now being Haunted with patri-
otto gusto by the Labor Crushers
Branch of Employers, it is presumed
that the word 90 American refers to
the Z. S. A., and that the complete
phrase, " American Plan,' is calculated
to convey-by thought induction-the
principle Of our national government
as applied to the employment Of labor.
And, be it known, this so-called
American Plan'' calls for individual
contracts with the wage earners, as
opposed to dealing with them As a
body-a union.
Consequently this plan, in operation,
would have the effect of disintegrating
a union.
so much for the principle of the So
called "American Plan'' and It's in.
tended purpose.
Now, in reality, as every intelligent
American knows, the motto Of the
United States is
''E Pluribus Unum!n
Which, translated into our common,
everyday language means
Zone composed Of many"
And this is precisely what a labor
union ls-one composed Of many.
Brain Test: Are the shouters Of the
'American Plan" slogan plain liars, o.
simply pusilanimous nineompoop,f :
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-06-04
THE APPROACHING STRUGGLE

There is every portent, every sign, Of
a swiftly approaching crisis in the af-
fairs Of organized labor in the United
States. That the impending struggle
will be sharp and severe, labor is frank
enough to admit. A period of unem.
ployn1ent, of lowered production and Of
falling prices has been seized upon by
labor's foes as the strategic time for
a hand-to.mouth test Of strength. The
"open sbop' campaign is hardly aca-
demic propaganda. AS long as this con-
dition obtains labor is bound to be at a
disadvantage. 1t cannot utilize it's full
strength nor progress as it should pro-
gress.
Under existing conditions industrial
peace can be kept in this country only
by an approximate equilibrium of the
contending forces ors the maintenance
Of the "balance of power. When one
side grows weak and a condition Of un-
stable equilibrium is brought about, the
encroachment of the other forces a
status of war. That is. what seems to
be happening just now. In the future
industrial peace will be based upon
cooperation, upon common interests be-
twee1 employer and employee.
The bare fundamentals Of an indus.
trial code have not yet been accepted
by all employers in the United States.
AS long as labor has to fight for the
principle Of collective bargaining it can:
not be said that the horizon of a new
industrial era is discernible.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-06-04
CAN GERMANY PAY?


Germany has Internationally accept
ed the terms laid down by the allies.
Roughly speaking, that means that for
forty years the Germans must pay to
the allied governments approximately
billion dollars year i1f gold.
Can they make good? Undoubtedly,
provided Germany is permitted to enter
the markets Of the world on substan-
TALLY the same terms as other nations.
It must be remembered that while
Germany is assuming one burden it is
being relieved Of another and in many
respects more crushing burden.
The allies insist that the conquered
people shall disarm. The hundreds Of
millions heretofore squandered each
year on the kaiser's army and navy will
now go into the PREPARATIONS fund. In
addition the millions Of young men who
were compelled to spend the best years
Of their lives in the army or the navy
will enter productive industries.
No; do not waste sympathy on Ger
many. The people of that country can
we'll afford to pay billion year for
limited period in order that they may
be forever rid of kaiserism and mill
tarism.
Having disarmed Germany, the allies
are, Of course, obligated to protect that
country from any enemy which may
seek to take advantage Of its defense
less condition. A goose which lays
each year a golden egg worth one bill
lion dollars must not be molested.
So while Germany is paying repara-
tions the people Of the allied countries
will be taxing themselves to maintain
armies and navics to protect the lives
and property of their late enemies.
In a word, there is reason to fear
that they have transferred the yoke Of
militarism from the conquered to the
conquerors.
There is another aspect Of the prob
lem which vitality affects the workers
Of all countries.
In order to meet its obligations Ger
many must sell in foreign markets at
least one billion dollars worth of goods
more than it buys.
German workers must undersell the
workers of Great Britain, France, Italy
and the United States. If they fail,
they will not be able to secure the
gold with which to pay the Preparations
and then Germany will be again in
vaded by the allied armies
There is grave danger that the EN-.
ploying class in this and other coun-
tries will take advantage of this sit.
uation to still further Cypress labor.
Schwab and others have already raised
the cry, "We must be prepared to meet
German competition, and by that they
mean lowering Of the wages and liv~
ing conditions Of American workers.
Labor must understand that it's prob
lens are now international and that the
oppression of workers anywhere affects
workers everywhere.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-06-04
NO WONDER IT Is SHOCKED.

NO WONDER IT 1s SHOCKED.
This is how the Association of Rail
way Executives, speaking through Jul
Jus Kruttschnitt, would remedy the
railroad situation:
t'Discourage the use for comman car
rier purposes of highways built with
public moneys.
ESQ regulate inland waterways that
their traffic will be diverted to the
railroads.
keep the United States government
out Of the business of operating steam
ships, which is another way Of demand
ing the abandonment Of the program to
build up great merchant marine.
''Establish tolls on Panama canal
commerce that will curtail its use for
the transport Of freight from coast to
coast.
|'Do not enforce the long and short
haul clause
A holder venture in reaction has not
been made in many years. Recognition
Of these demands would set us back
politically to an extent no man could
guess.
It is difficult to believe that any man
would seriously suggest for the earnest
consideration of congress a program so
completely at variance with the best
interests Of the public.
The railroad managers speak from
the fullness Of utter DIES eration or are
even moro contemptuous of public sen.
timent than is their wont.
Did the people build the highways
with public money to accommodate joy
riders, to enable people to go to picnics,
Or to in part relieve themselves from
the exactions Of the steam Transporter
ton companies?
Why did they cease leyying taxes on
the OK cart and make the bridges free?
Why have they forced the toll gathcrcr
from the highways and made them free
to all men?
Do the railroad managers see men.
ace in the automobile industryg Do
they wish to annihilate it as a means
Of competing with the railroads? Would
the railroads be worth saving at such
price,
Ought we to abandon our publicly
owned waterworks, sewer systems and
schools to protect private enterprise
that has proved inadequate?
Must the people always be compelled
to sacrifice in the interest of private
greed when it finds itself falling back
in the onward sweep of progress?
According to Mr.. Kruttschnitt, we
should stop progress and tax ourselves
an unnecessary and indefinite amount
for an unknown period Of time to pre-
serve railroad dividends under existing
conditions. We should legislate our
eoastwise ships out of the Panama canal
and, it necessary, off the sea.
We should cease all kinds of public
endeavor that might interfere with the
railroad business.
We should, in short, place hundred
million people completely at the mercy
Of an exploiting system that is unable
to hquidate the results of past misbe.
havior.
It is not surprising that senator's who
have never faltered with the railroads
We're making demands have been
stunned by the amazing proposals of
Mr.. Kruttschnitt. They were not pre-
pared for anything so revolutionary and
drastic. They will scarcely be disposed
to go the journey mapped out for them.