The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-10-06
FINE STORY OF THE EXPERIENCES
OF ONE WHO DESERTED THE RANKS
Desire for Social Approval and Contempt Traitors
tors as Compelling in Industrial Strife as in
War of Nations
BY w. E. McEwen
Editor of The Labor World, of Duluth, MINI
went | was reminded that l had been

went l was reminded that had beer
'scab.'
zone day | learned that the
president of the International union
was in town: | thought if / could
meet him and relate my experience
to him, tell him of my mistake back
home, of the tempting offer that in
duced me to weaken and desert my
fellows, of my first thought for the
immediate welfare of my family
which proved to be our undoing, and
how | since tried to make good; if
could tell him all of that, he might
advise me of way out.
81 waited about his hotel for sew
eral hours and finally he came, with
a local committee accompanying him.
81 told my story in simple Ian
guage, leaving out no detail. My
condition was desperate. Ny family
was not hungry, for l had man
aged, with the aid Of my older chill
dreB, to provide for them, but food
was not everything. We were heart
hungry. We longed for the asso-
citation Of our neighbors. We needed
friends among our own kind of
folks. We didn't have them. We
were good living people, but we were
social Outcasts, and it was all due
to weak moment in my life.
Pleads His Own Case
"No lawyer ever plead case for
his client as | did for myself and
family that day. When | had fin
ished there was long, deep silence.
The president was the first to
ell ,Nf
questions about myself. which |
truthfully answered. He then re-
Quested me to step out of the room
for a moment while he counseled
with the local committee about my
case.
"a few minutes later | was re-
called and was advised to make APP
plication for membership in the local
union and he would take up the
matter of the fine that was imposed
against me by the union back home
upon his return to the international
office. I learned later that he
stopped off in that city and went
personally to the union meeting to
present my case. A portion of the
fine was RENTED and l was soon in
good standing with my fellow work
ers again.
occasionally thereafter, boomer
floating into town, tried to tell the
local boys of my record back East
but they always headed him off with
something about charity and with
Let he who is without sin cast the
first stone You see, they knew my
case, had compassion and forgave.
e
"But never again want to 90
through the years of grief and
shame / put in with the labor mark
of Cain upon my back. 1t does not
pay. The ostracism isn't ALL Even
the boss has no time for a 'scab'
except when he wants to use one
to tide him over a strike. When all
is serene the employer seems to be
as suspicious of the 'scab' as the
union men are bitter against him.
The homespun philosophy of Will
Carlton that "a man who can be false
to one will be the same with two,
is the philosophy of the average
employer, and because of it he for
gets the 'scab' when he shall have
served his purpose to him."
The "old-timer" paused for a mo-
ment. Then he Strengthened up and
said in conclusion: 81 can't hate a
'scab' because I have been one. but
7 pity him, l pity him with all my
heart. I only wish that every work
ingman in strike who feels a weak
ening coming over him would but
stop to think of the future and his
estranged relationship with his fell
lows. If he does, he will never be a
'scab.'"