The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-09-21
Continued from page One

is in favor of supplanting craft or
ganization with its uneconomical SUBJ
division of labor, its expensive leader
ship and constant temptation to
graft, by organization in larger units.
He threatens on the one hand the
placemen of labor, whether corrupt
or not, who find in Gompers the
head of their calling; and on the
other hand, through the increased
strength and cleanness of labor, he
threatens its enemies among the en-
ploying class, especially such as find
it convenient and profitable to do
business with the labor leaders on
the side. 1t is not to be wondered
at that Foster should find the path
of the reformer difficult within labor
itself, where all the vested interests
are united to ruin him; but that
public opinion should SO easily be
marshalled against him shows how
far the public is from comprehending
its true interest in the labor move
ment."
FOSttI ~ otuteSuuns
According to this opinion, Foster
is statesman because ''he is in favor
of supplanting craft organization----I
by organization in larger units"
That may seem to be rather scant
evidence of craftsmanship, and par
ticularly since the grouping by larg-
er units is the Syndicalist idea put
into operation in this country by
the 1. w. W., and so not original
with Foster. Yet do not challenge
the claim on this ground. However,
this being the controlling principle
of the 1. w. W., the question arises
whether Foster shows craftsmanship
in allying himself, or seeming to
ally himself, with an organization so
highly odious as the l. w. W.? This
is more doubtful point Perhaps,
there was no practicable alternative
OF course, there is nothing reprehen-
sible per Sc in organizing labor in
larger units. And if that is states
man like plan, why should Foster
abandon it merely because odium
happens to attach to group that has
been acting on that plan? He
shouldn't abandon it for that reason.
For the same logic would have COM
PEELED Seward and Weed and Lincoln
to cease their anti-slavery activities
on account of the odium attaching
to the extreme abolitionists. Yet
Foster should make it clearer than
he apparently has yet succeeded in
doing that, while he advocates the
Syndicalist plan, he abjures the 1. w.
w. methods of sabotage, arson, riot,
and murder.
Alleged Deterioration Of the Senate
Bryan in his speach on the Income
Tax, 1894, said: 'srhey call that man
a statesman whose ear is attuned to
catch the slightest pulsation of a
pocket-book, and denounce as a DEM
agogue any one who dares to listen
to the heartbeat, of humanity"
i Although nearly thirty years have
gone, which optimists have taken for
years of democratic progress, the
truth Of Mr.. Bryan's plaint gets
fresh illustration in the. current
number (Sept. 16) of the Saturday
Evening Post" There, through a
dozen columns. Mr.. Kenneth L. Rob-
erts inveighs against the deterior-
alton of the Senate, rising on the
crest of his scorn to proclaim:
"Never in the history of the Senate
has there been more demagoguery
than exists in it today" Mr.: Rob-
erts processes to adhere to the stand
ard definition of demagogue:
"An unprincipled popular orator or
leader; one who endeavors to curry
favor with the people or some par
ticular portion of them by pandering
to their prejudices or wishes, or by
playing on their ignorance or
passions. But the total impression
of the article is that an increasing
number of Senators are to be classed
as demagogues owing to a growing
deafness to the pulsations of the
pocket-book and an unwonted sensi-
tiveness to "the heart beat of human
ity."
When Mr.. Roberts charges the Sem
: ate with deterioration, he unfortun-
ately deals with point which he
can neither prove nor anybody else
disprove. There is no standard unit
of measurement. But almost any,
body, l regret to say, can prove
that Mr.. Roberts advances lot
of political hokum. Starting with
the Fathers conception of the Senate
as body of men not to be Influenced
by popular appeal and otherwise