Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1922-09-15
BY v. Z. MeENFN
otter 81 The labor World Of Duluth,
HHH-.-...-..a..

Editor Of The Labor World Of Duluth,
Minnesota.
let the "oid timer" tell yeu his
story in his own words.
I'D give the world Il / owned il II
] hadn't weakened that tire IN my
early life during the strike Of -
when | deserted my Shopmates, weak
ened their side and went back 70 work
under cover.
Il know what il is Il be called =
'Scah.' One never can become hard
ened 10 il. Ii follows him wherever
he may travel, 10 the furthermest
parts of the earth. I have worked
with professional strikehreakers, the
hardest and most calloused Of NOR
tails No word offends them like that
Of sab, Indeed the stnSebreaker
has brought himself II believe that
he is gentleman along side Of the
man who belonged 20 the union. VIC
lated his oath Of membership, hetfay-
ed his associates and returned to work
during a strike.
The 'scab' seldom feels his loneli-
ness until the strike is over, when the
company has no further concern
about his welfare and when they have
defeated the union. Tie stfikebreaker
seldom remains long on any job. He
is gradually frozen cut by more
competent men.
The Remorse That Comes
"Some Of the strikers usually get
back on the job and they bring With
them all the bitter memories Of the
battle. That's when the men who be
trayed them begin to feel il. 1t is
not so much what is said 10 them as
the looks they get, the GOODNESS that
is displayed and the ostmeiSm from
which they suffer. Even the boss, 50
good and friendly during his trouble,
becomes Indifferent aud uneoneened,
On top of 1t all is the consciousness
one feels that he has not been on the
square with his fellows.
Il can imagine the anguish of a
a murderer after his crime, fer
know the remorse of traitor 10 la
Dor In my case the suffering eX-
tended to my family. My children
seemed Indifferent and eventually
held aloof from me. My youngest, one
day, climbed up on my knee and asked
me in childish seriousness: Daddy,
what's "seab go That question
pierced my heart like an arrow.
could not answer him. | couldn't even
look him ip the face. evaded a di-
rect reply by asking him why he
asked me such a question.
The Kids at School.
1.-THE kids ut school won't play
with me- he said with a pathetic tone
in his voice. They say TO me, 20 on,
get away from us, your father is a
"scab."' | tell you that struck home
and made me regret | listened TO the
honey words of the company agent
who got me to weaken and crawl back
to my job like a worm.
"The next blow | felt was when
hame home one evening and found my
wife in tears. She had been black
balled' by a fraternal order TO which
she had made application for member
ship. A kind neighbor had told her
that they had nothing against her, but
there were members present who OBJ
iected to having the wife Of scab'
in the order. She was good wife
and a good mother, and in addition to
taking care of her household duties
she found ample time to devote to
church and social matters.
"While her old friends and neigh
bors had always been kind to her she
was sensitive TO a manifest coldness
they exhibited in her presence. II
was not Ike that in other days when
! was one Of the boys, and il hurt her.
She finally gave up everything on the
outside and seldom mixed with other
people. We had few callers and nc
real friends. She was not used to
that and it affected her.
81 noticed her cheeks fading and
deep lines appearing on her face. We
resolved to go away. to go some
where where we were not known, ano
possibly we would be able in a new
community to work our way into new
| friends.
81 resigned and went west, got g
Job in a coast town and sent for my
family. 1t looked promising for u'
there. We attended church regularly
Ny wife made friends quickly and W,
were soon enjoying the social compan
ionship of a mighty fine lot of people
The color came back to her cheeks
and life again grew to be worth while
"Then one day an old shopmat'
from back east appeared on the job
II The moment ! set my eyes on hin
the Jig was up No sign Of recog
milton passed between US. That after
noon many of the new friends ! ha,
made in the shop seemed less eordia
than they had been. Later in the ia!
a distempered helper whom ] ha,
asked to assist me on piece of worl
/ | was doing turned me down and SAT-
he wouldn't help a 'scab.' "
"The curtain again same down OF
my life. ] didn't tell my wife any
thing about it, but she learned it thu
following Sunday coming home iron
church. | tried to get back in th'
union and hoped by doing so ] coult
make amends for the one mistake
had made. | was informed by thu
secretary that / would have L
straighten up with my old local unioI
as there was a fine entered agains
me there, and it was more than
could pay.
Followed Him from Home
ave soon departed for another cit!
( further south on the coast. ! sough
new employment, but luck playe,
against me and wherever | went
was reminded that had been
'scab.'
zone day | learned that the presi
I IA e a., s,+a,sy a ffopal union VA