, 1922-08-10
foster SPOKE At
Miners Meeting
EDITOR OF CHICAGO LABOR HERALD
ADDRESSED UNION MINERS AT
HANNA SATURDAY NIGHT

stormy petrel OF unlOnlSm, NeHesls
of Sam Gompers, militant Soviet and
fervent advocate of Zone Big Union
as well as editor of 1.-The Labor
Herald" recently established in
Chicago as an outlet for his ultra
radical views, was a speaker at a
meeting of striking coal miners in
Hanna last Saturday night
Due to the fact that Mr.. Foster had
been in Salt Lake City but a few
days before where he received con-
siderable unwelcome attention at the
hands of the press and the police,
and thinking possibly he would en-
deavor to inject some reference to
Wyoming politics into his remarks
and ut the same time offer some
gratituous advice to the voters of
this state on how to cast their ballots
at the coming primary and general
elections, it a thought advisable to
have a representative of The Rawlins
Republican on the ground to get a
"close up" of Mr.. Foster and his out
givings.
At the outset it must be set down
in all candor that anyone who at
tended the meeting at Hanna ex-
pecting to hear an i~ncendiary radical
disport himself verbally and advise
.'direct action and other inflam-
matory remedies for the ills that do
beset us, must have come away dis
appointed, for Mr.. Foster was In one
of his milder moods and spoke no
word to which serious objection
could be made by anyone reasonably
conservative. True he made use of
some of the stock phrases of the pro-
fessional firebrand, such as slave"
"inhuman wage cuts" "rulinI
Glass; military hirelings." kept
capitalistic press" crooked peuti-
Clans" etc., and ad lib. This was to
have been EFFECTED, but the expectant
listener was left to marvel at the
speakers self-restraint, and to spec
ulate as to what influence had been
at work.
Foster began with reference to the
existing strike of the coal miners
and heartily congratulated his hear
ers upon the solid front so far main
tanned, which he declared was 100
per cent, adding that the struggle
was already won II the miners would
continue to stand pat. He contrast
ed the industrial union organization
of the miners, which combines In one
union all factors concerned in the
mining Of coal, with that Of the
railroad shopmen, who are, he said
making a hopeless fight against the
railroad hosts, which are presenting
an imposing array of solidarity and
r united from coast to coast and
have the earnest support OF the gov
eminent, the courts and the press
Organized labor itself came in for
a terrific lambasting, as the speaker
referred to the railroad situation.
as he expressed 1t, with its invinc-
fh1o ~n{l1ioro Nn0u nofh{n0 IN haIn
but stands around twiddling its
thumbs and passing sterile resolu-
lions of sympathy" He stated that
there were sixteen railroad labor
unions and that while six of those
were making the fight which will
settle the fate of railroad unionism
for years to come, the others, blind
to their own interests, are staying
calmly at work and helping to break
the strike.
During his address the speaker
paid his respects to Sam Gompers and
other leaders Of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor, whom he accused
of monumental political stupidity, In
that they still followed the ancient
and WORKOUT method Of endeavoring
to reward their friends and punish
the enemies Of organised labor
t4KVuK0 aV&AkVt0 $A9S o1A" oASASs
Of the old parties, thus "degeneeat-
ing the unions into appsadages OF
these corrupt capitalist parties and
in3ecting crooked politicians directly
into the ranks of the workers" Me
advocated the formation OF . now
Labor party, made mp exclusively
from the ranks Of those who toll
with their hands. with the workers
cuttine loose from their old political
moorinGs and bidding defiance to
their .iornentors" - he termed the
parties now in existence.
The members Of the railroad labor
board came In for . generous share
OF ex~coriation At the hands OF the
speaker. He accused them fatty OF
being the willing tools OF the rail-
roads and Of having been instru-
mental In bringing about the present
strike Of shopnen BY the simple q
pOdient Of forcing the Walk-out by .
wage reduction that Il was known. in
advance would mot be accepted. AZ
soon ~ the present strike IL settled,
WAtca he predicted would be done
With the shopcfaSts on the losing END,
- SAtA that tho railroad board would
<Aooss another group for slaughtsr
t1a that finally the entire railroad
systsm % unions aud br~otherhoods
Sweald - destroyed, whereas. Il
obese oelfsane men would accept ana
n1oet hi advice, and all stand to-
etlAAr and assist each other. nothing
could stop them in their efforts to
eaf0fes q demand for better wage
and working eenditions.
Mr.. foster, who lays claim to be.
Ing IN ardent Internationally
rpent much Of his time telling his
hearers Of the methods pursued By