Gunnison news-champion., 1921-01-07
THE POT AssAILs THE KETTLE

New York World
Frederick II. Gillett, Speaker of the
House Of Representatives.. made a
spsach at the annual dinner Of the New
England Society OF New York Wednes-
day night, in which he indicted the
labor unions for sitting production
when the crying need Of the whole
world IS production"
What Mr. Gillett said about the ten
dencies Of organized labor is in the
main true, but why did he stop with
the unionsI Why not b. honest and
tell the whole truth Even a member
Of Congress might venture TO 20 tha.
far on occasion. II only by way OF
experiment
Without question organized labor
in many industries has deliberately
stiffled production. SO has organized
capital. Has Mr.. Gillett ever heard OF
the lockwood committee and It's in
yesti cation Of the building trades in
New York? Has he paid any attention
10 the testimony showing how industry
after industry was organized to levy
tribute upon every form Of building
How strikes were bought and sold at
the instigation Of rings Of contractors .
How eombinationsof steel manufactur-
ers refused 10 sell their product 70
builders unless they could also dicta;D
the kind Of labor that should be EN-
ployed How the business Of erecting
apartments and office structures and
factories in this city was 80 completely
at the mercy Of these organization
that all free enterprise was crushed.
After Mr.. Gillett has diRested som.
Of the testimony taken By the Lock-
wood committee he could prufitabIE
devote a little time to the coal trad,
and the revelations that have bcrr
made Of the practice OF the men wh.
have been sitting production by man
ipulating the market. Coal is one of
the basic elements of production, ar
the coal crowd has been using b0.
hands in robbtng the public. Even tn
Government has not escaped. Exec
sivc prices for fuel have a great de-
10 do with the slowing down Of iu
dustry, but none Of Mr.. Gillett's ir
dignation is poured upon the coal OF
ganizatiOn.
II the Speaker too were Inclined 70
look further into the causes Of din
inished production, he need not leaE
his augusSplacc as presiding officc
Of the House OF Representatives. lU
front Of him he Will find approximat
ly 1875 reasons, 1876 being the numb
Of members OF the House in the SiSty
sixth Congress.
For nearly two years American To-
dustry has been petitioning for r.
vision Of the war taxes and for sur
n rcadjustment Of the burden as VOL
permit production. Congress has ncy.
given one dollars worth Of relief
any kind. II has left taxes where III
wore the day the armlFtice was signc
and the Senate has likewise left pea
where in was then.
Instead Of dHvoiing itao'f to a !
vision Of war taxes. the House ovr
which Mr. Gillgtt prcsldCs has now
acted q fraudulent tariff bill for a..
benefit Of the speculative interrs'
This monumental fake Is perpct -ns d
in the name OF American agriculture,
on the prctensc that American agri-
culture is suffering from foreign COM
petition. There could be n0thing more
dl shUuest than this bill and tn argu-
mcnts that are advanced in favor Of
IL. The only result of il will be- 20 in
crease the cost of living, maka labor
still more restless and put great for
tunes into the pockets OF p0-lIa Iators.
Farm prices have not declined be
cause Of impoltatious Of food but be-
cause Europe is not able 70 pay for
American food which IL 50 s0r..y uccds
for lack of which million arr on the
verge OF starvation.
Many causes have contributed to
the decline Of American production
during the last year. ORGANIZED labor
has behaved badly in numerous in
=tarr.= nrfrau u;vnH capi,aI ia ,vnpx-
lines of activity has behaved quite bad
~; but the worst record Of all for
obstruction belonrs to the
Congress OF which Frederick II. Gillett
is Speaker. When he assails thn Unions
for sitting production, il is indeed
q case of the pot defaming the kettle.
The Human Touch Lacking.