The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1922-07-21
DEBS TELLS UNION MEN
TO STICK TOGETHER
LEADER OF STRIKE IN 1894 ADJ
VISES SOLID FRONT AGAINST
RAILWAYS.

Chicago, July 17.-Eugene V. Debs,
leader of the American Railway union
strike in 1894, today issued a state.
ment to the striking railroad men ana
other unions that the time has come
for the rank and file to unite and
strike together and vote together and
fight together.
There has been some slight dis
order and a few scabs have been
hurt Mr.. Debs said. ''This has been
the extent of the violence but it has
been sufficient to bring to the strikers
what they fought for i'm the late
World War. The federal government
announces through the department of
justice that it will stand no difling ON
the part of the strikers and that if
necessary armed forces will be en-
ployed at once for their suppression.
The governors of seven states have
simultaneously announced that they
have the national guard modified and
ready to move at command when the
eNgencies of the situation demand ac-
ton.
You will have no trouble in guess
ing what kind of action is thus meant
on the part of the national and state
governments which you shouted for,
voted for, invested your last dollar
for, and crossed the Atlantic to fight
and be gassed and die for in the war
to make the world in general and
America in particular safe for demo-
cracy and liberty.
"And now that the war is over and
Kaiserism is dead and democracy and
liberty are on top this same crowd to
a man, to whom you rallied in such
a frenzy of enthusiasm compensate
you for your noble patriotism, is now
lined up against you in battle array
and ready to shoot you down like
dogs.
"It is true, Mr. Unionman, that YOUR
craft union leaders with scarcely an
exception stood with the Wall street
profiteers in bowling for war and
rushed you, the common herd, into
the trenches to be gassed, mutilated
and murdered while they remained in
the rear to receive the plaudits of the
plutocratic press for their patriotism.
But that does not excuse you, for you
chose those leaders and were respon-
sible for them, and after all, the
leaders are about as fit or otherwise
as the rank and file that elects them.
"1n the light of this situation do
you realize the crying need for unity,
for solidarity on every front, regard
less of creed Or color, you are indeed
in a pathetic plight and your case is
all but hopeless. You're weak craft
unions have got to be converted into
a powerful industrial union and YOU
have got to cut loose once and for all
from the rotten political parties of
your masters. y Your inter-
ests as workers and producers are
absolutely identical and there is no
earthly reason why those who are
in the same industry should
belong to different unions or give
their votes to different political par
ties.
"I'he struggle is entering upon it's |
critical stage and whether the toiling
hosts shall emerge in triumph and es-
,ablish industrial and social democra- |
cy in the world or go down in humili-
ating defeat for another historical
period OF economic bondage depends
entirely upon the capacity of the
workers to muster their forces and I
stand together, strike together, vote
,ogether and fight together all along
he line.''
NEWS NUBS
DR.. Robt. Harrod of Switzerland,
iirector of the International Temper
ance Bureau, who has toured the
United States, reports having seen
wo DRINKS on his trip. He states
hat he found social and street life in
America ga hundred times cleaner
md more decent than in Europe. I
cave the United States with the re-
lewed impression that America has
AIKEN the leadership in prohibition as
n other fields" Il