New-York tribune., 1921-02-24


lectively and i. .ividually from civil
suit.
Asks Rally to Defense
1--WE ask the American people to
give solemn consideration to this
declsration,' said the measure adopted
by the union leaders. "It is the pro-
nouncement of m ovement that is con-
secrated to the cause of freedom as
Americans understand freedom. 1t is
the message Of men and women who
will not desert the cause of freedom,
no matter what the tide of the
struggle.
"The American labor movement in
this crucial hour here lays before the
people the full story and asks them to
rally with labor to the defense of our
imperilled institutions.
Labor speaks from no narrow or
selfish point of view. It speaks from
the standpoint of American citizenship
And the indictment it lays is an indict-
ment of the enemies of freedom and
progress.
american labor battling for the
preservation of American democracy
and American institutions to-day
stands between two converging de-
structive forces.
Standing between two opposing
forces, uncompromising toward both,
the American trade union movement
to-day finds itself and every American
institution of freedom assailed and at
tackled by the conscienceless sutocrats
of industry and the followers of radi-
cal European fanaticism. If either of
these wins the doors of democratic
freedom and opportunity can never be
reopened in our time.
Government Is Assailed
Though inspired by vastly different
motives, these two unrel enting forces
work toward the destruction Of the
same ideals, each using the other as a
tool in the struggle to overwhelm de-
mocracy and put an end to American
progress, politically ano industrially.'
"Unscrupulous speculation squeezing
both the producer and the consumer
was condemned in s+IonE terms in the
labor declaration, while the governm ent
was assailed for its failure to cut the
cost Of living. which was declared to
be as high as ever.
The presence of three and a hall
million unemployed in the country was
blamed upon "mal- al-administratio oi
industry" 1t was declared to be due
primarily becau"e Of the studied, and
calculated arbitrary policy of reac'
tionary employers"
The countrywide efforts to reduce
wages were denounced as "a direc1
blow at the prosperity and we'll being
Of the country"
Labor not only insists upon main
tanning the present standards of wages
and working conditions, but declare:
its solemn purpose to continue it:
struggle to further improve those
standards" said the declaration
Where the unorganized workers ar,
concerned, while they benefit by the
protests and progress of the organized
workers, they find themselves unabl,
to meet proper! y the present crucia
situation, Their course is to joir
the organizations of their trades o.
caliings and we demand for them tn.
right freely to follow such q courst
and to exercise all of the powers ant
privileges which that implies."
People Must Make Choice
"Converging upon labor from the ex
treme right is autocratic reaction
whlle from the oppoS te e%Cremc is tn'
insidious propaganda of radical Euro
pean fanaticism, VIII ch is PARTICULAR!
, and peculiarly deadly in its hatred O
the American labor movement becaus.
of its democratic character and it,
steadfast refusal to adopt revolution
ary destructive policies declared tn
labor chieftains. at is q curious ant
startl ng fact that this propaganda O
fanaticism has the sympathy and sup
port of many of those in our countr!
who style themselves liberals but q,
not distinguish between that which il
truly liberal and that which is destruc
tive and fraudulent.
at is now for the American peopl,
as a people to make q choice. We ar,
confronted with 3 supreme crisis. No
even in the days when the nation hov
cred on the brink of war was the tua
ticn more critical. The path of prog
ress and constructive peaceful achieve
ment and evolution is laid down by tn,
trade union movement. The road tt
autocracy, unfreedom and chaos is laiC
down by is enemies. The choice i!
now before the country"