davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor world., 1922-02-18

JAMESTOWN, N. T.. Feb. 16.-
1.-The great American labor move
ment must prevent the enactment
of laws which will prohibit group
of individuals from ceasing work
when they desire so. The fact that
we can cease work as a group
stamps US free men,"
That was the declaration Of Frank
Morrison, secretary of the American
Federation of Labor at a meeting
of representatives of labor and
other citizens in this city, among
the mayor, clergyman, and busi-
ness men.
There was {. time" said Secre-
tary Morrison, addressing the citi-
zens' meeting, when I thought that
if organized labor ever had q mill
lion members it would have accom-
plished a great achievement, but in
| my rs years of service I have seen
it grow from 100000 to more than
four millions No other organiza-
tion has done more to bring about
| good will am ong mankind than tho
labor union"
Asking those who are not men,
bers of labor organizations to judge
the labor movement by it's ideals.
by its achievements for the good
of humanity and by the facts, the
federation secretary declared:
There is at present going on one
of the. greatest conspiracies that
ever existed. Starting before the
armistice, it has for its .-,',rnose the
election of congressman and legis.
lators to enact laws to impede the
progress of the labor movement
The Declaration of independence
says that we are all born free and
equal, with certain inalienable rights
life. liberty and the pursuit. OF
happiness. All are entitled to lib.
The labor world., 1922-02-18
TURMOIL IN IRELAND.

Peace has not come to Ireland even
though England has removed herself
from the situation.
There is in this condition tempta-
tion for British statesmen to cite
Free State disorders as proof of the
o]d-time contention that Ireland is in
capable Of self-government.
But an I-told-you-so attitude would
be almost criminal under the circum-
stances. There is opportunity for Eng
land to assume the role Of wise and
sympathetic friend helping to repair
the damage being wrought as the log
ical outcome Of conditions which she
imposed for centuries.
It was not to be expected that the
mere signing of a piece Of paper could
create in the Irish genius for self
government which had been stifled
and repressed since the days Of Queen
Elizabeth. Having ground Ireland into
the dust, it is now England's duty. to
help Ireland's emergence upon the
new plane of freedom. If this task is
difficult, England has made it so.
The labor world., 1922-02-18
:$100 LEFT on DEPOSIT .
60 YEARS. IS NOW $500

~ Saving money is not so hard after
a.person once acquires the habit. The
United States Government makes it
easy for every man, woman, and
child to- practice Thrift. The start
can be made with dime invested
in a Postal Saving Stamp or 81. will
open an interest-bearins Postal Saw
ings account or pay for a Treasury
Savings Stamp. Twenty Of these 81
Treasury Savings Stamps. with a few
nickles added. ora postal savings de-
post, can be converted into a Trea-
sury Savings Certificate, paying &25
a: maturity. These Savings Certifi-
Gates are also sold in maturity de-
nominations Of 800 and $1,000.
They yield interest at 4 per cent,
compounded quarterly. when held
until maturity, and can always be
converted into cash on short notice
at more. than their original cost.
Chauncey NJ. Depew, erstwhi.s
United States Senator from New
York, put $1o0 in a Peekskill. N. r.,
savings bank in 1860. It was his.
first 500. Maybe Senator Depew
found, as many. do. that first 800.
proved to be the hardest. Anywaw,
in spite Of strenuous temptation, he
refused to draw upon that 800. and,
as result Of later prosperity. final
ly forgot about it. Not long ago
Senator Depew entered the Peekskill
bank to greet some old friends and
they reminded him Of his NEST egg"
On computing the interest 1t was
found that the original deposit Of
800 had grown to $500. and owing
to. the long period in which it had
lain undisturbed had achieved the
distinction of, being known as tho
banks star account. -
The labor world., 1922-02-18
CHINESE FAVORED BY
AMERICAN SHIpOWNERS

IT, the general manager of the
Admiral steamship line wants Amer
lean seamen, why does he go to
Hongkong to hire Chinese sailors,
asks the Seamen's Journal. This
paper states that there are Chinese
crews on the. steamers keystone
State, Pine Tree State, Wentachee
and Bay State.
1.-THE first named steamer, owned
by the shipping board, and operated
by the Admiral line,. recently arrived
in Seattle with g. crew of Chinese
hired at .Hongkong at the Chinese
rate of wages. and was said to be
carrying 1923 more Orientals to be
transferred to the Bay State. They
were later, however. transferred to
the Pine Tree State instead, to re-
place crew Of As American citi-
Zens.
"The patriotic American ship
owners have almost succeeded in
their contemplated, plan of reducing
seapen's wages to starvation level.
Because of this policy, even the
Chinese crews on shipping board
vessels are now resorting. to the
strike.
t. while doing this our ship owners
are attempting to rob the public
treasury through the subsidy. fraud.
At the. same time they have material
ly increased the freight rates on
grain to starving Russia.
Altogether it looks. as If within
another year there will be very, very
few American seanen: remaining to
replace aliens now on the ships
sailing under the Stars and Stripes.
"'How can you expect men to, re-
main patriotic; men. who in the
World war fought in the army and
navy and gave their lives to protect
the. government which now sane
tions the contemplate schemes OF
certain coolie loving American ship
| owners is. the question asked: by
several members Of the discharged
crew of the steamer Pine Tree
State"
"And the echo answers: ''How?'"
The labor world., 1922-02-18
GIVING CREDIT.

Organized labor has done more than
any other agency to check the doc:
trincs of the Russian reds, Industrial
Workers of the World and parlor boil
shevists in the United States, in the
opinion Of Judge Alton B. Parker,
one-time democratic candidate for the
presidency, in an address before the
National Civic Fcceration in New
York City recently.
The people of the United States
have not forgotten how the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor, headed by
Samuel Gompers, stood four-square
during the world war against, the rad
ical elements Of labor-how labor sup
ported the government in its unstinted
contributions to military and indus
trial efficiency during the trying
times Of the nation.
| While it is true that neither an or.
ganization nor an individual deserves
any particular credit for the perform.
ance Of duty, as that is expected Of
all, the record Of the bodies of organ
lied labor should not be overlooked
when comparisons are made; with the
service rendered by other organiza-
tions and individuals.
"Search as you will over the
world,' Judge Parker said, "and
nowhere will you find, as here, labor
standing foursquare in opposition to
every wind that blows against this
government. Labor may seem stub
born, in the judgment Of many, in it's
stand against certain es of indus
trial readjustment, b. patriotism
as a body can not be successfully
brought into question.
Organized labor of the United
States, at one time fraternally acting
with the international bodies of
Europe, broke that relation when it
was found that radical labor was Civ.
ing support to bolshevist, or anti
government, movements. There are
things for which organized labor may
be justly criticized, but the lack ,of
| Americanism is not one Of them.
The labor world., 1922-02-18
nation instead of kicking up nasty

nation instead Of kicking up q nasty
row over the consequences of "defla=
| tion.'' ~ A..
Now comes the annual report Of the
Bethlehem Steel Corporation to con-
found the patriotic Schwab.
! The gross earnings decreased from
$274,O00,000 in 1920 to $l47, 100000 in
1921, but, mark this, the net earnings
in 1921-that is, the amount that cap
ital gets-were $25,754, 900, or a de.
crease Of a little more than 10000, 900
from 1920.
The "current assets' in access. Of
"current iabilities' showed an in
crease of $12,ooo,ooo for 1921 over
1920 and the "cash and liquid assets"
increased from $2o,o7s,ooo in 1920 to
$54,sS1, 900 in 1921.
In addition to all that, the report
/ tells the stockholders that since 1914
more than $90,0Oo,ooo has been
charged to depreciation, thus more
than wiping out the entire cost of
plants constructed to make munitions.
There is nothing suggestive of "de-
flation" about that report. How does
it happen that Schwab can defy the
inexorable economic law' which
has put the farmer and the city work
er flat on their backs?
The answer is to be found in a
statement made in the senate recent
ly by Senator Smith Of South Caro-
lima. He was explaining how the big
steel corporations had. lodged the
steamroller Of "normalcy.'
"Those industries that could not,
by artificial combination, support
themselves at the level reached dur
ing the war, and subsequent there
to- said he, "have been merciless-
lv sacrificed, while those which could
help themselves did help themselves
and are continuing to help them
selves, while the general public is the
goat. -
The labor world., 1922-02-18

erty, workers as well as financiers
and lawyers. y. ~ ~
. what certain employers want. 10
legal machinery to prohibit US from
ceasing work; to establish group
slavery by compulsory labor. They
have already started to do it with
industrial court laws, injunctions
incorporation, laws and compulsory
arbitration. Group slavery is not
new. 1t was tried four thousand
years ago in China. AS a trade
union we are opposed to- any law
which prohibits an individual or a
group Of workers from ..ceasing
work. The American Federation OF
Labor is opposed to compulsion OF
| any kind which limits human free
dom.''
Reciting the history of compulsory
arbitration in Australia, New Zea--
land and Canada. showing that these
laws had no effect in preventing
strikes because the strikes resulted, !,
from efforts of employers to break
the spirit of the workers by enact
ing "can't strike" laws the speaker,
declared: ,.
| I'VE are having a. crisis in this
country which we; must meet. We
are going to meet it and we are go
ing to march forward step by STEP
The result Of the movement to de-
stroy labor unions has been to in
crease their membership. The labor
movement wants to see tho time
when the highest ideals Of man will
be practiced " our government and
I by the workers Of our. country: che
labor movement wants to see tho
time when all the boys and Eirfs
In this nation will have an equal
opportunity for an education and
training to enable them to do their
I share of the worlds work"
The labor world., 1922-02-18
MY LIZZIE VALENTINE
'Tis the age of great inventions,

'Tis the age of great inventions,
Aero, radio, an SIGH
An the swiftest transportation
Can be purchased by the rich.
I'm a-riding in my Lizzie,
Independent as a. lord
There are millions of JUS ridin',
Just because of Henry Ford.
You may talk about your limmysines
Sedans, an sooper-six,
But Pll'place my bet on Lizzie
An I think 1 know her tricks
Always. quick, an stout, an ready,
An she's all I can afford-
There'd be millions of us walkin'
But for honest Henry Ford.
Wall Street thought they'd got him
When he had so much to pay.
An they offered to befriend him :
In their own peculiar way
But the people sent their dollars,
= Into Lizzie's lap they poured
And millions more are ridin'
Since they backed up Henry
Ford.
r. A. Cogswell.
The labor world., 1922-02-18

Lounsberry, as secretary of the en-.
ploying printers, figured all jobs and
any printer who took job below that
figure was disciplined. That was too
raw. It was fraught with danger.
Wiser members of the Typothetae
studied out more refined way Of ex-
plotting the printing public. 1t is a
sort of uniform cost system which in
application has the same effect as the
old price-fixing custom, only it is
more vicious in that it is scientific,
rather than criminal stealing.
There is no difficulty in finding
out how a labor union operates. It
agrees with an employer on a mini
mum wage, standard workday and
shop rules. It is all in the open, and
it is that which makes for the real
open shop, the kind Of shop the Citi-
zcns' alliance would close.
IL IS AUC 81 easy W UloCOSC1 nv"
business MEMS organizations work.
There is nothing 'open' about their
transactions, and because of the Sc
crecy which surrounds their move
ments the public is permitted only to
guess and imagine as to what is be-
ing done. 1t is strikingly strange,
however, that when one who con:
templates building a home seeks prices
from such material men as lumber
dealers he is given the same price for
the different grades of lumber by
every concern. That is a fact. It is
rot co-incident. 1t does not just
happen. The lumber dealers can tell
how it is done, but they will not. The
Citizens Alliance can also tell how
it is done, but it's president will not
bother about it,. for he is not going
to take any chances with a dimin-
ished meal ticket.
Nevertheless, the situation is just
as The Labor World has put it.. The
Citizens' Alliance is supporting and
defending closed shop organizations
of business men, and it will continue
to support them, no. matter how raw
they may get.
The labor world., 1922-02-18
PRESENT SOCIAL ORDER
TREMBLES IN BALANCE

In an address to lawyers in New
York, Justice Clarke of the United
States supreme court, said that all Of
us are living in a. world so new that
past experience could be- Of little
service, except as a warning.
This new world" he said, "is
bringing opportunities for pioneer
and constructive thinking.
THE fate Of Russia warns US that
our existing social order, stable
though it seems, may not long en-
'dure, even when buttressed by great
armies, unless the masses of the
people, on whom, at last, all gov
:ernments rest are given a fair
share" Of that comfort and safety
which it should be. the first purpose
of every government to provide for
those who live under It,"
The labor world., 1922-02-18
GERMANY coNscR1PTs wEA1rH

Germany is to conscript wealth in
order to raise one billion gold marks
to pay for the ravages Of the Great
War. There is something suggestive
Of poetic justice in that announce
ment.
|, Germany did not invent compulsory
military service but, under the Hohen.
zollerns, it perfected the darnnable
system, and almost of. the nations Of
the world, even our own country, fol-
lowed her example.
Will they follow her lead in con-
scripting wealth.
Why not7 Wars are not fought by
men alone. Dollars play an important
part.
Is the being God made of less i'm.
portance than the thing man made.
The action of the German govern.
ment is a courageous answer to the
impudent suggestion recently made by
the "captains Of Industry headed
by SHINES, the Morgan of Germany.
They offered to raise sum which
would enable the government to meet
its obligations to the allies if they
were given control of the state-owned
public utilities and were permitted ia
re-write the tax laws and to abolish
the eight-hour day for workers. e
Fortunately the German worker.
had participated in recent election.
and they had sufficient votes in the
reichstag to frustrate that plan. Wv.
Now the government will take from
these arrogant money-bags the sum.
needed to meet the nations obliga
tions and will refuse to pay any: in
The labor world., 1922-02-18
AMERICAN RAILROADS
BOYCOTT !, s. VESSELS

The Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul
and the Great Northern railroads
will inform the shipping board on
March 1. it is stated, whether they
will abrogate their preferential
contracts with Japanese vessels.
The railroads and their especial
defenders have been placed. in an
embarrassing position since it has
been discovered that the largest,
trunk lines in the country have se.r
cret agreements with foreign ship
ping companies which amount to-
an out-and-out boycott Of Amert..
can vessels. -.
The. agreements are made publiS.
just at time when every 100 per:
cent American was preparing 70
shout: 49,, - -
''Subsidize American ships that.
we may have an American mers,
chant marine" K. =. .-s... -
p Down with the IIaFollette sea-
mems law-it Is barrier to IN
American Merchant Marine" :
The labor world., 1922-02-18
THE PRESIDENTS INDICTMENT,

In his speech to the Farm. Confer
ence President Harding repeated the
following from his last address to
congress:
ut is rather shocking to be told,
and to have the statement strongly
supported, that million bales of
cotton raised on American: planta-
tions in given year will actually
be worth more to the producers than
l3 million would have been. Equally
shocking is the statement that 700
million bushels of wheat raised by
American farmers would bring them
more money than billion bushels.
|. "Yet these are not exaggerated
statements. In a world where there
are tens Of millions who need food
and clothing which they cannot get,
SUCH A CONDITION rs SURE TO
INDICT. THE SOCIAL SYSTEM
WHICH MAKES 1T POSSIBLE"
The President told only half the
story, however.
He might have added that millions
cf American workers are walking the
streets of our cities jobless, although
millions more are clamoring for the
very things that those idle workers
are willing and capable of produc.
ing.
Of course, social system which
produces such tragic results cannot
be defended. It is not enough to
change it. It should be condemned
and Fundamentally overhauled. The
amazing thing is that public. Off.
cials like President Harding, who
have such a clear conception of TIN
situation, refuse to support adequate
remedies.
The labor world., 1922-02-18
HOW scHWAB poDaEs.

The apologists for ''normalcy"
would like to have us believe that the
appalling state of affairs which is
causing so much distress throughout
the country is attributable to some
"inexorable economic law" This
claw" they assure US, affects all
classes; it is universal in its applica'
tion; it can not be evaded.
Charles M. .Schwab, the 'tmaster OF
Bethlehem" is one Of the chief pro-
ponents of this theory. He uses it prin
cipally to show that labor. should ae
cept wage cuts with Christian resag
The labor world., 1922-02-18
THE COMPANY. "UNION."

The latest substitute for labor
unions is the company "union.' It
was conceived to in part satisfy the
workers. demand for the right to or
ganize, but to put string on their
activities and their independence
In Colorado where the Rockefeller
interests have tried out the company.
"union,'' which was formed through
the genius of Mckenzie King, the
present premier Of Canada. It worked
very we'll so far as the company was
concerned, and for time it lulled a
number of workers into the belief
that they were "some pumpkins' in
making agreements as to wages. and
hours, but the crucial test of the
"union'' came when the company de-
tcrmined to cut wages. Then the en-
ployes fell back on the old-fashioned
labor union.
Constitutions, bylaws and agree
ments Of "company unions'' are
usually drafted by a corporation at
torney, stressing with legal serious
ness the hocus pocus of workers
rights'' and the elaborate method Of
electing representatives to consider
Industrial relations with the "presi-
dent and officers Of the company,'
and giving in minute detail directions
for preparing the ballot and voting,
to "insure absolute secrecy,' as if to
guard against the ridiculous contin-
gency of the company "stuffing the
box.'
The hollow pretense of democratic
government suggested by the regula-
tions for voting is forcefully exposed
when placed beside "the right to hire
and discharge shall be vested exclu-
sively in the company and shall not
be abridged by anything contained
herein.'' That section is the key to
the economic door which locks out
all the high-sounding blarney about
workers. rights, fair elections for rep
rcsentatives and power to negotiate
wage scales. Considered in coniunc-
tion with the usual provisions that the
company shall bear all expenses Of
joint meetings, travelling expenses of
workers. representatives and pay for
time lost attending joint meetings,
the sham is complete.
These are the outstanding facts in
the company union" which expose
its vicious hypocrisy:
The company does the firing alb
solutely.
The company has equal representa-
tion with the workers in all steps
leading to change in the wage scale
governing the workers, and no change
can be made except upon the vote of
at least one company man.
There is no defense fund and can
be none.
|. The "company union,' therefore,
by defining the workers. "rights''
and administering them, renders him
economically helpless.
The labor world., 1922-02-18
THE HERALD BUCKS.

There is movement in Duluth to
change the present form of city gov
eminent, and there seems to be about
as many notions of forms as there
are types of mind. If there is to be
change at all it can not be unless the
advocates Of change show DISPOSE
ton to reconcile their views.
The Duluth Herald has set it's foot
down against any sort Of ward sys-
tenn. It wants what is known as the
city manager plan, but it believes the
manager should be elected by small
council which shall consist Of several
members elected at large. That is
sort Of closed corporation similar to
the type now in vogue in the business
world, in which the stockholders elect
the board Of directors, the majority
members of which elect a manager to
lun the concern.
If government was run for profit
as are business corporations there
would scarcely be any argument
against the appointment Of a city
manager by the council to run the
city. Business corporations have little
time for democracy, welfare or any
thing else along humanitarian lines
unless they see profit sticking out all
over them. And still if democracy and
welfare were taken from government
there would be little left to commend
il as an American institution.
Advocates of the city manager idea
pretend to say that there is democracy
in the plan Of removing the police and
other public officers one stage farther
from the people than. they are now.
And they can get good audience
to listen to that conception Of de-
mocracy, but no real democrat will
fall for it,. Near-to-thc people govern
ment may be more costly than other
kinds, but it is the safest for human
liberty tho world has ever known
anything about.
And because we believe in near
to-the-people government we are con-
vinced such can be best had by dis.
trict, neighborhood or sectional rep
resentation in it's legislative depart.
ment. Every argument that was ad-
~ vanccd against the old aldermanic
system can be used against the com.
? mission form and against the man
agcment. plan. Log-rolling and trad:
ing was once the order, is still the
order, and it will continue to Be the
order under any form of government.
! The purpose may not be the same, but
the same results always follow.
Ever since the establishment Of our
government the world has been busy
experimenting with one type or an
a other of so-called democratic forms
That established by our forefathers
has outlasted and outworn all others
It has its weak spots, to be sure, but
it also has strength and stability. And
best of all, it has stood the test of
time.
Let's quit experimenting with fads
and get back to the wisdom of those
who stood on the brink between au-
tocracy and democracy, who were
eaase enough to see the evils Of one
and the necessary safeguards to ap'
ply to the other to keep it from run
ming wild. The mayor-council plan of
government, with sufficient power and
responsibility lodged in the mayor to
permit him to be q competent execu-
tive and administrator, will bring
every result promised by chesty ex-
pert to be known as city manager.
The labor world., 1922-02-18
"Ju;ST TRY IT AGAIN"
Justice on tllt, Job.

The bedraggled individual indig-
nantly denied that he was intoxi-
Gated when the police officer. testi-
fled that he found the prisoner lying
in the street.
Very well, then," retorted the
versatile judge: you're fined IS
for parking more than six inches
from the curb.''
The labor world., 1922-02-18
He Started All Right.

He Started All Right.
"You are the sunshine Of my life!"
"Oh, Jack!"
you reign alone in my heart!"
"Darling!'
with you at my side I could
weather any Storm"
Jack, is, this proposal or a
weather report?