Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1922-01-06
LABOR FACES NEW
YEAR WITH RANKS
NTACT---GOMPERS
b. SAMUEL GoMPERS

The best that American labor can
pledge To the cause of progress for
the coming year is a continuance of
It's best effort TO promote that cause
In every possible manner By every
possible constructive effort. Labor is
the only force in our social life that
is compelled by its very character to
strive 10 the utmost always for pro
/ gress, freedom. democracy and nus-
tice.
IL would be fortunate il other ele-
ments were under similar self-im-
I posed compulsion.
! The year through which we have
/ just passed has been a year of con.
centrated struggle.
Certain employers greeted the wear
/ 1921 with the battle cry of destruc-
ton. They felt a sense Of power
without responsibility To the social en-
tity. They felt that the road was
clear for the amassing of fabulous
wealth and for the reestablishment of
industrial dictatorship. Two things
were clear in their minds: To reduce
wages and to destroy the unions, the
voluntary organization of the work
ers, in order that wages might be per
! manently held down and in order that
working conditions might be deter
mined likewise in arbitrary manner,
to the detriment of the workers.
Organized labor stood firm against
! this destructive movement. Ii has
maintained its position with such ten
acity and purpose that wage reduc-
! ton has made but comparatively
tritiing Roadway, while the destruet-
ton of the unions has made no pro-
gress at all. Labor is as united and
as determined as overland a great
deal more so.
Labor had more than this to con-
tend with, however. The courts con-
tributed their share. Judicial power
has been thorwn on the side of pred
atory wealth. Destruction of law by
usurped power has continued apace
lnjunctions have grown and multi
piled.
On the other hand the propaganda
lists of various political and industrial
cure-alls and fantasies have been busy
in an attempt to eat at the vitals of
our movement. A great, vicious cir
Gle of destructive, undemocratic, OPP
pressive influence has sought to the
limit of its capacity to destroy the
one great constructive force in the
american lnuuStridi ilie
Our movement has stood the test
with flying colors. No movement less
responsive to the needs of the work
ers, less qualified to serve, less able
to resist, could have stood so COM
pletely unscarred through such a.
year of conflict.
Through the year, despite the SLAM
ders and attacks, the movement de-
81. - of q 1.-Two
thought, contributed constantly in the
development of constructive work,
gave constantly in service to human
ity.
In the midst of an unemployment
crisis which need not have been, ii
was the voice and the counsel of la
Dor that made it possible for the ma
tional conference on unemployment to
survive and to succeed to such an ex-
tent that it is estimated a million and
half of workers have been re-em-
ployed.
The world today stands upon the
threshold of 10-year naval holiday,
from which it is hoped the world will
emerge into everlasting peace. Labor
led the way to the present conference,
with its record from the beginning of
our movement and with its declara-
ton adopted by the executive council
in May and by the convention in Den
yer and by the convention in Denver
in June calling for such an interna-
tional conference as the President
later determined to call.
These are evidences of labor's tenn
per and spirit and willingness to
serve.
There is no intent to draw bill of
particulars. The old year has gone.
The efforts of reactionary employers,
of hostile newspapers, of courts, of
legislatures, of congress, to harass, to
undermine and to destroy, have been
unavailing.
And even the presidential proposal
for judicial tribunals to arbitrarily
force labor and all industry under the
tyrannical rule of courts will not sue
coed.
The conclusion, at the end Of the
year, is that reaction has tried with
all diligence, and has failed to shake
the progressive, enlightened, construc-
tive purpose of the great masses of
our people.
The conviction is unacceptable that
progress is in store. Our people un-
derstand too well the implications of
the proposals of reaction to be de
ceived. Reaction can not win by logic
because the logic of the equation is
all against it. 1t can not win by
threats and force because the might
of the masses in their determination
to go forward is unconquerable and
insurmountable.
LAY on, MacDuff," we said full
year ago. MacDuff has laid on with
vigor, but with the customary blind
ness of those who will not see the
tide of human affairs and who will
not listen to the burden of the human
story as it is spoken from the lips
of the masses.
Freedoms cause is safe because it
is in the keeping of so many.
And so, at the dawn of the New
Year-1922-w greet our fellow
workers, our fellow citizens. We bid
them look forward, we bid them en-
vision the rising sun, we bid them