The Llano colonist. [volume] (Llano, Calif.) 191?-1937, 1922-09-02
HERRIN TO BE REvENGED
BY i. S. Wooster

Do not be misIed into thinking that
E4errin will go unpunshed.
| Chambers Of Commerce all over the
country are being bombarded with lit
lerature and urged to pass resolutions
condemning the massacre, and urging
that action be taken to punish the gull
lily.
| A circular letter from the " American
defense Society, Inc, points out Not
one arrest has been made, despite the
fact that this orgy of murder took place
more than a month ago. Within 48
hours after the recent attack on the
mines in West Virginia. fifty-seven men
were brot to justice.
An elaborate and well-written indict-
ment is being circulated in phamphlet
form by the National Coal Association,
(which of course must necessarily from
Its authorship not be totally unpreju-
diced in the matter. 1t demands pun
Iishment of the guilty.
Another pamphlet being circulated
gives editorials from 1914 newspapers
on the subject. Most of them assume
THAT the unions are to blame, and
some even go so far as to assert that
the real culprits are Gompers, Lewis
land others.
1t is inevitable that this should be
the case.
Nothing could more forcibly and
concretely show the fallacy of using
violence.
1t is transient victory. Apathetic
chambers Of commerce are being stir
red to action instigated by the National
! Coal Association.
4 1t will result in determined effort
, to break the unions, and it may be safe
: to prophesy that internal disintegration
e will set in as result.
Violence begets violence, and the I'M
ions are not without precedents, fur
nished by employers. Neither are they
without incentive.
- Yet, violence cannot be practiced BY
any organization depending for success
! on holding great numbers Of persons
4 voluntarily in line. Only an army car
Is successfully follow program Of VIC
- lence. Working men cannot.
The ferocity of the Herrin massacr,
is foretaste Of what an industrial re
= volution will unquestionably mean.
= Untamed forces. ungoverned pass
" ions, uncurbed tempers, scared witt
the taunts and injuries of many years
70 will render it conflict such as Meg
leo and Ireland know
1t will be worse because of the &C
j., feasibility OF tools of war.
~ Men stepped in passion, imbued wit
os vengefulness, contemptuous of tn
~ rights of others, will fight savagely.
Those who long for industrial civ
N war do not know for what they pra!
NJ Let them look at Mingo and Henri
and reflect They offer two sides {
or the picture.
no The way CT peaceful penetration
long and discouraging.
,rs But the way by blood and hatred an
M violence and passion is longer and WI
~ be more discouraging.
a The Herrin massacre will be avenged
~ 1t was Labor's error
~ The battles o. labor are never bat
he led by Labor.
- The coal miners do not have the a.
~ sistance and molal support of labs
D. generally.
A vast number of workers think til
railroad men are getting fabulous re
,Iv wards for their work. They do not GO
:" the sympathy of the misguided indiyic
IT. uals.
be Even organized workers are far frol
Iee being unanimous on the subject.
nj Socialists, impatient, long to lead Ia
Is Dor into battle, sure that the might c
labor will win.
be Labor leaders, better informed man
n of them conservative in keeping wit
es their time. their rank and file, and thei
he purposes. do not wish to go into battle
Radicals within the ranks brea
loose. start insecure little move,
,rs bicker. fight, insult and do great harm
or which retards the greater movement
us Labor, a great inert body, move
he slowly forward, creeping on blindl
j. without conscious ideals, led really to
II ward the light as are sprouting seeds
The greatest task Of labor is to purg
re and discipline itself. not to rush madl
nd Unto battle
Is Many of the leaders realize this, an
so while their methods do not suit tn
re headlong, yet as seasoned generals
no must be admitted that they possibl
us know the strength and weakness bel
tar of thair o,vp ORGANIZATIONS than "a,