The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-03-10

L. OHGll plOylleHI. mere udS
been no decrease in unemployment.
The figures of those most interested
in making a showing of improvement
fail to show that the burden of suf-
fering has been lifted in any degree
from the shoulders of the workers.
80. Relief Program. No steps
have been taken to use the legisla-
tive machinery of the government to
bring relief to the nation by starting
the wheels of industry on construc-
tive projects. Labor has laid down
an exhaustive program for unem-
ployment cure which will add to the
wealth of the country in a perma-
nent manner and which will afford
employment to millions of now idle
workers. The single measure de-
signed to be helpful in regulating
employment so as to help remove the
peaks of depression, known as the
Kenyon bill, was forced off the floor
of congress by means of amend
ments which made it necessary that
the bill be withdrawn entirely.
"3. Navy Yards. Ten thousand
navy yard workers have been thrown
out of work in heartless and unnec-
essary manner on an assumption
that certain contingencies would de-
velop, with no effort to make the
readiustment gradual and with
careless disregard on the part of the
government Of the moral obligation
which rests upon it and which no
honorable employer would seek to
disregard.
81. Iniunctions This is one of
the gravest of all issues. 1t lies
within the power of government to
so order its own machinery as to
curb the ruthless conduct of the
courts. Election of all judges is one
means of bringing home to judges
the responsibility which they owe to
the citizenship of the country and
the fact that they cannot continue
indefinitely in the service of special
interests.
"5. Taxes. Economy is the watch
word of most new administrations.
1t is useless as watchword when
ignored in practice, or when the
practice results in removing the bur-
dens from the rich and predatory
and placing them on the shoulders
of the wage earners. We are in the
midst of an amazing kind of mud
ding with tax and tariff questions
where little regard is had for the
great masses of our people.
"6. Anti-U Union Crusade. The or
ganized labor movement is today the
most powerful and the most alert
defender of democratic institutions
Unscrupulous and unthinking en-
ployers are seeking with all their
power to destroy this movement. The
fight of the great interests has been
encouraged by many who hold office
by popular vote. There have been
| indications of government policy
to aid in this destructive crusade
which cannot and will not be over
looked in coming elections. Ameri-
| can government must again stand
for freedom and progress and Justice
and democracy in fact
~. Agriculture. American farm
ers have been thrown into a condi-
tion bordering on the disastrous.
This might have been largely avoid
ed by wise governmental action and
+ it may be largely remeded in like
manner. One step which must be
taken concerns the wise and proper
extension of credit, step scrupu-
lously avoided by reactionary legis-
lators and administrations. SO far
as the much-heralded agricultural
conference is concerned. it was
complete failure. 1t injured and did
not help.
"S. Compulsory Tribunals. Eff
forts to extend the vicious principle
of slave labor along Kansas indus
trial court lines are being made in
state legislatures and in federal leg
islation. Shrewd employers see in
the so-called industrial court, with
its compulsory enslavement. a
stronger weapon than the so-called
open shop Labor is resolved to
combat this autocratic device to the
utmost, carrying the fight to the
doors of every legislator who has at
tached himself to the slave idea.
SO. Anti-Conspiracy Laws. Much
of the depression of labor is made
possible by the anti-conspiracy laws,
enacted ostensibly to curb improper
combinations of business. Business
combines at will, law or no laws with
the result that the only real use
made of these archaic laws is in the
fight to prevent the legitimate and
proper activities of workers.
40. Transportation. Nothing has
been more completely mishandled
than the railroad situation. There
has been a carefully prepared prop
uganda to the effect that the work