davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor world., 1922-08-19
why NOT APOLOGIZE. t

Why not compel Uncle Sam to
apologize for fining profiteers under
the, Lever act suggests the Weekly
News Letter. official paper Of the
Illinois state federation Of labor. I'm
der the caption, beg Your Pardon,
Gentlemen" the labor paper says.
washington press dispatches state
that Robert H. Levett, assistant at
torney general in charge of claims,
acting for Attorney General Daush-
lerty, has recommended the passa Re
Of Senator Elkins' bill providing for
the return Of fines levied upon prof
iteering merchants and manufactur-
ers under the Lever act. T..
1T will be remembered that the
Lever act, which was used AGAINST
the organized mine workers In 1919,
was, In part, declared, unconstitu-
tional when cases Involving business
interests reached the upper courts.
Tho statement Of Mr.. Levett con-
tanned the information that the toal
amount Of funds collected from prof
iteers under the act was only $121,-
1856, and that about $15o,00o re-
nlined uncollected.
{ Cynical observers suggest that
the Elkins bill might be amended
10 as to include an apology to the
w1r profiteeys.' 4 s2.s.ss
The labor world., 1922-08-19
THE DIFFERENCE,

When the. railroads told the gov
ernment that they couldn't live and
keep their bondholders fat unless the
government helped them out, the gov
ernment promptly came along and
guaranteed the roads enough money to
keep up the dividends so that the
bondholders and stockholders could
clip their coupons regularly. :: =
When the railroad workers protest.
ed against having their wages cut to
the suffering point, the government,
through the chairman Of the railroad
labor board, told them .t'be good
sports,'' while the president told them
to leave it to the railroad labor board
whose chairman thinks good sport is
one who doesn It kick when his pay is
amputated. 3
The labor world., 1922-08-19
PLAYING UP "soB',. STORIES.

The Associated Press is working its
correspondents overtime writing
"sob" stories Of "passengers being
marooned on the DESERT" when broth
erhood men quit work and refused to
run further through that / burning
country with unsafe equipment.
Here is . part Of one, ga pitiful
story of how a mother and father
fought death for their 1s.month-old
baby was told by. Mr.. and Mrs. Will
lam Hebree of Denver, travelling of
Denver, travelling to San Deigo. The
temperature in the Pullman was 13o
degrees during the day. :
Here is anRther: "suffering among
marooned passengers, especially wo.
men, children, tho aged and infirm,
was growing intense, according to re.
ports from some Of the halted trains. -
/" When l.. E. Sheppard, presiden: Of
the Order Of Railroad Conductors, was
asked If he approved Of such *brutal
treatment to passengers" said: :;
1T is all newspaper talk that peo.
pie have been 'marooned' in the dcs,
ert. Our men have taken: every train
into the terminals and the passsn,
The labor world., 1922-08-19
why SEA NO LONGER LURES AMERICAN BOYS

Statesmen, editors and publicists
who marvel why American boys
leave the sea, should be interested
in this editorial by the Seamen's
Journal:
'The wage cutting policy official
ly inaugurated by the United States
shipping borad on May 1 of last
year has been carried on with a
vengeance ever since. American
seamen have been virtually driven
out. of-American ships. Only cheap
and servile labor is wanted-none
other need apply. ~
"The custom of employing Chi
nese on crews on American ships in
the foreign trade has become gen.
eral. 1t received setback only when
the Chinese. .seamen struck for higl-
er wages and won their point to the
extent of receiving half wages for
the time they had been on strike.
1T will be recalled that the i'm
portatton of Chinese crews to
American ports, and their transfer
from vessel to vessel, has been
sanctioned by one of those incom-
prehensible decisions of the United
States supreme court.
"Emboldened by this ruling, one
American shipping company has
gone a step further Chinese are
now being imported to displace
American seamenin the coastwise
trade. Fifty Chinese seamen were
The labor world., 1922-08-19
ANOTHER SECTOR TAKEN,
BY j. M. BAER,
The Congressman- -Cartoonist,

Over the top, again!
The Old Guards ranks are de-
moralized. Another big hole was torn
in the 'Standpat' sector. The new
salient picked off was the general of
the reactienary leaders. The shock
was even felt at the White House
which is now the G. H. Q. or general
headquarters for the forces of reac-
ton. - ..
Like the victory Of Brookhart in
Iowa, Fraziers victory in North Da-
kota is complete reputation of the
"Do-nothing" congress and the open
shop" administration.
Frazier, true friend of labor as
we'll as the farmers. won the nomin-
alton for United States senator in
the Republican primary. Frazier is
a Lincoln Republican. He won
against McCumber-a Newberry Re-
publican. e..
While Frazier was governor Of
North Dakota, more progressive la
Dor laws were placed in the statute
books Of the state, than have been
passed by any other state in the
Union.
Frazier was the governor that de-
>clared martial law and called out
the troops to protect the miners. ne
sent the military forces to the offices
The labor world., 1922-08-19

had nothing to do with the expense
of tho meeting at all. .
The hand bills, they said, were or
dered and paid for by William G. sar-
gent, who is chairman of the st. Louis
County Republican committee.
Isn't that pretty conclusive evi.
dence that there vast partisan politics
behind the Kellogg meeting, and that
it was mighty clever politics toos
Sometimes, however, even the wisest
of politicians everyday the game. That
was true Thursday when the commu-
nifty picnic was pulled off at Pike
lake under the auspices of farmers in
the section Of territory near and about
Duluth.
Every speaker on the program was
Republican politician and office
holder. A member Of no other party
was invited to speak, although farm.
ers near Proctor wanted to hear from
former Congressman William L. Carss
who is a candidate for reelection, and
they could not get him on the pro-
gram. His opponent was one Of the
leading speakers.
It did not dawn on the farmers that
their desire for a community meet
was being capitalized by the stand
pat Republican politicians until they
learned that only Republicans had
been invited to address them. The
reaction has already set in. Instead of
the picnic being an asset to the Re-
publicans it proved to be boomer
ang.
The labor world., 1922-08-19
STRIKES HURT GOLF
BY j. M. BAER,
The Congressman Cartoonist

1ue man-CartOOntst.
international Labor News Service.
Being president isn't so popular a
pastime as the present occupant
thought 1t was going to be. Mr..
Harding's original idea of the presi-
dency was a four-year picnic. He
and his millionaire pals came to
Washington to have a. good time.
The fact in the matter is, If the
president would not let the strikes
interfere with his golf, they might
be settled in a week. -,
But his big business friends insist
that he call the United States army
to defend their sacred property. The
result is that the government is
spending millions to protect prop
erty but not one cent for public
safety. Our statesmen nowadays for
get that the forefathers formed a
government which protected human
lifelife and insured happiness as
we'll as safeguarding property.
After all attempts Of the presi-
dent have failed to get the railroad
owners into a conference; after rail-
road power and equipment has be-
come unsafe for passengers, Mr..
Harding pursues the popular pas
time i'm Washington Of passing the
buck. He is going to leave it to con.
gress.
Now this congress is the funniest
joke that was ever pulled. 1t has been
two years trying to pass a soldiers
bonus and a. tariff and neither bill
is much closer to passage now than
when congress began discussing
them.
Think Of having congress settle
the strikes! If it makes unusual
haste our grandchildren may be able
to get a scuttle Of coal or a ride on
a passenger train.
The labor world., 1922-08-19

recently brought over from the
Orient on the shipping board
steamship Wolverine State, re-
Gently renamed the President Har-
rison. These Chinese were trans
ferred in the harbor of San Fran
cisco to the Pacific mail companys
steamship ECUADOR, and are now
employed on said vessel in the
coastwise trade between San Fran
CISCO and New York.
Neither The contract labor law
nor the Chinese exclusion act have
any terror for the American ship
owner. AS far as the language test
and the able seaman certificate are
concerned, l. seems that even a.
wooden man would satisfy the in
spectors. Everything goes is ap-
parently the slogan of the present
administration when it comes to
the manning Of American ships.
Safety laws, rules and regula-
tlons were all thrown overheard in
the wild scramble year ago, and
anyone who has the temerity. to
mention such matters or suggest a
gradual return to sanity and safety
lis promptly branded as a union
agitator.
t In the meantime, does any
rational, red-blooded American
with the slightest knowledge of
the facts as outlined herein, want
his boy to adopt the sea as a pro-
fession p"
The labor world., 1922-08-19
I READ Them AND WEEP

Mr.. Fogarty .(Prison ~Warden):
The molders' union-let me tell you
something: I know more about that
than you do. The only objection the
union labor men Of Indiana have
against molding in Jeffersonville-I
don't do any buildings the fact
It isn't the stuff they turn out, but
the fact that they make molders.
Now I know the game. .......
Representative John I. Nolan,
chairman Labor committee: Let me
correct you and see" whether you
know more than I do about it. I
happen to be molder. I happen to
have union card, and I happen to
be a member Of the International
Molders' executive board, and L know
something about the molders' union.
So don't tell me that you know any,
thing more about that union than
do.
Mr.. Fogarty: am a molder, too.
7 ran the biggest power factory in
the world-ran .heir foundry for
years. So We are molders together.
The Chairman: You are talking
about the molders' union. They are
willing to take these men (released
pr1soners) in; they are willing to
see them educated; thew are willing
to do their part; and every other la
Dor union in this country is willing
to suffer that competition that you
speak Of under the state use sys-
tenn, and permit them to mine coal
and permit them to take a portion
of the men and use them in a print
cry or do anything else. They are on
record in favor Of that system and
1t is in operation in your adjoining
state of Ohio.-Hearings on Convict
Labor bill H. r. 1924.
Mr.. Hitchcock: Some reference
made yesterday by the senator from
Idaho (Mr. Gooding) to his owner
ship Of sheep has suggested q few
verses which shall take the liberty
of reading:
Gooding had eight thousand sheep,
Their fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Gooding went,
The sheep were sure to go.
They followed him by night and day,
Which was against the rule.
They filled the statesman with dis
may,
Tossed high the wool schedule.
And when the people found it out
Their rage began a-waxing:
They knew the present of those
sheep
Meant heavy tariff taxing.
But If the wool on Gooding's sheep,
TO make cloth for those who wear
it,
Won't grow unless we tax our folks,
Then they must grin and bear it.
But Gooding's case is only one
OF many like abuses,
OF taxes that the tariff laws
For private, not public, uses.
Congressional Record.
The labor world., 1922-08-19
A FRUIT OF M1LITARIsM.

Teapot Dome, in Wyoming, a vast
natural reservoir filled with high
grade oil, was turned over to the
Standard Oil company by Secretary Of
the Interior Fall few months ago.
Some oil prospectors denied Fall 8
right to do this and insisted they had
title to a part of the ground.
Such controversies are constantly
arising, and they are adjusted by the
courts. That's what courts are for.
And the courts Of Wyoming were wide
open and ready to do business. +.
The administration would undoubt'
edly have done the usual thing if it
had been supporting the ordinary
claimant, but the. usual thing would
not suffice when the Standard Oil had
hundreds Of millions at stake. -. r.
The courts might decide that the
prospectors were right, and dreadful
consequences would ensue. For one
thing, the. prospectors and not the
Standard Oil would gather in the great
fortunes concealed in the womb Of
Teapot Dome. "A
To, avert such = calamity = captain
and five marines were sent across the
continent from Washington to Wyom-
ing to GUST the prospectors. \
Governor Carey Of Wyoming, ! Re
publican, wired : dignified protest 70
The labor world., 1922-08-19
y. S. LABOR COMMISSIONER SAYS Talk
OF LABOR'$ InEFFIcIEncY IS PIFFLE s

There are few statistical subjects
more discussed than Efficiency of
American Labor and there is none
upon which we know less, said Ethel
bert Stewart. United States commits
sioner Of labor statistics, in a re-
cent speech, which is published in
Monthly Labor Review, issued by
the bureau Of labor, statistics.
"On the one hand we hear much
Of the superiority Of the American
workman; on the other we hear
much of the degeneration of. Amer
lean. labor of loafing on the job, of
job making, etc. When We ask for
proof, for figures, for output per
man, per hour or per day taken from
the records that are The basis of pay
rolls, we are told, oh, L have no
figures but what I state is a matter
Of common knowledge
"'Common knowledge can not
be tabulated.' 1t can not be worked
up into an index number nor can
percentages of increase or decrease
from year to year be worked out.
Labor cost per unit Of production
in any industry as expressed in
money, while interesting and eco
nomically importanta is not illumin-
ating on the subject of labor eff
ciency.' The question as to whether
the output per man per hour in shoe
factories has increased or decreased
since 1913 can not be determined bv
the labor cost per pair of shoes.
Common labor in the. United
States may be less efficient than 1t
was 30 or 40 years ego, but it is no
longer American. In such industries
as the iron and steel, coal mining,
railroad construction, brick making
and textile mills, and a. great many
other Of our basic Industries, immi-
grant labor, of low-grade efficiency,
The labor world., 1922-08-19

gers have been left at places where
railroad men ive.'
There we have it. One would think
from reading the press stories that
the brotherhood men stopped their
trains out on the desert far from wa
ter and food where the passengers
fairly baked under the burning rays
Of the southwest sun.
They did nothing Of the kind. The
men brought their trains to the end
of their divisions where there were
hotels and food and water. A. such
points railroad men live with their
families and their babies. In the case
Of the sick child mentioned above it
was railroad engineer who took the
mother, father and babe to his home,
where he, his wife and his babes are
obliged to dwell under the same sun
and suffer from the same heat day in
and day out.
The A. P. stories are written to i'm
press upon the public that the "rail-
road officials did everything within
their power to make the marooned
passengers comfortable,'' but not a
word was said about the faulty con-
dition of the equipment that would
have resulted in bringing added dis
comfort and inconvenience to the
travelling public should the trains
break down between railroad stations
where there are none of the accom-
modations the passengers enjoyed at
the division points.
Striking shopmen advised the pub
lie long ago Of tic broken down con-
dition of railroad equipment and of
the Danger in railroad travel at this
time. Persons going on long rides
through desert country ara taking
their own chances. If they are delayed
en- route it is but one of the many
inconveniences caused by a strike.
Those who. were held up on the
Santa Fe, if they were good observ-
ers, probably learned something they
did not know before Of railr3ad life
in the scorching desert traversed by
that road. And if they were but ordi-
nary students Of conditions they would
learn, too, that the Inconvenience they
suffered was due to the fact that the
railroad officials themselves are re.
sponsible fof the present abcminable
transportation situation.
The labor world., 1922-08-19
BARS sTRIKEBREAKERS.

There have been many unusual
things happening in Mexico, and one
of the strangest has been the closing
of the Mexican border to strikebreak
ers. This was accomplished by an or
der issued by Consul General Ruiz in
message sent to all Mexican consuls
in the United States. That message
read as follows:
"Notice, Mexican citizens:
"In view Of the discord and fric.
tion which experience has demonstrat
ed always occurs between striners and
'scabs' (strike-breakers), this consd
general, by instructions received from
the general government of the Re
public Of Mexico, asks Its nationals
to absolutely abstain from taking po.
sitions of work as strike-breakers and
thus avoid the disaggeeable and dis
graceful complications which might
result. Our people should not degrade
themselves in q strange land.
"RUIZ."
On Tuesday, Aug. l, every railroad
man in the Republic ceased work fol
four hours as mark Of sympathy and
respect for his American brothers. In
every city, town and hamlet parades
were held and they were addressed by
prominent men. The strikers not only
have the support Of the. Mexican
workers but Of the official family a:
well.
A few years ago Mexico was re-
garded as one of the most reaction
ary: countries in the world, ranking
close to Russia. It is now the leading
progressive nation. In any event iti
officials seem. to have real sympathy
for the struggling workers of this
country. Imagine the United State.
advising its citizens not to degrade
themselves in strange land by. be-
coming strikebreakers. Its "high
ups" would pin = badge Of honor or
such traitors 49,.
The labor world., 1922-08-19
MINERS GREAT VICTORY.

The union crushers were given q
mighty wallop Wednesday when the
officers of the United Mine Workers
Of America and the operators in the
central competitive bituminous fields
entered into and signed up straight
Union Shop agreement in which the
"check off, was conceded.
News reports convey the informa-
tion that like agreements will be en-
tered into by operators and miners in
Illinois, Indiana and the south central
states, leaving only parts Of Pennsyl.
vania and Vets Virginia still "open. :"
The union miners have scored a
great victory after a strike lasting 10
weeks. Their union membership was
increased by 175,ooo during that Pc
riod. The miners organization comes
out Of the contest stronger than when
it began. tits the most notable and
decisive labor victory that has been
achieved in recent times, probably in
the history Of trade rnionism.
The organized "open shop" move
ment, it is believed, has been checked.
It has reached its apex. The shop
mems strike is also drawing to an end.
The strikers have the railroads beaten
and none know it better than tho
railroad executives. Unless the ad-
ministration throws its power and in
fluence openly into the balance and
against the shopmen every shopman
will be back on his job in a few days
with every right that he enjoyed be-
fore July fully restored to him.
The employers who would "make
labor eat out Of their hands," have
had their day. They are learning that
the workers Of this generation are not
Of the milk and water kind, nor are
they looking for hand-outs.' They
are willing t boz e. talked WITH" but
not "to." They insist upon having
something to say about the wages
they are to be paid, the hours they
shall be required to work and the
conditions under which they are to
be employed, not all to say, but an
equal say with their employers.
The successful settlement, Of the
mine workers. strike has determined
that principle. Now let us have peace.
The labor world., 1922-08-19
FIGURE TT OUT.

How many apples did Adam and
Eve eat?
Some say Eve eight and Adam
two-a total of ten only.
Now we figure the thing out far
differently: Eve eight and Adam
eight also-total 16.
We think the above figures are
entirely wrong.
If Eve eight and Adam 81, GER
tainly the total will be 80.
Scientific men, however, on the
strength of the theory that the an
eediluyians were giants. reason some
thing like this: Eve 81 and Adam
82-total 163.
Wrong again. What could be clear
er than If Eve 81 and Adam S12, the
total was 893?Nf ,. .... ..sy..
believe the following to be the
true solution: Eve S14. Adam and
Adam 1924 Eve-S,93S. 49,. =
Stir another calculation is as fol-
lows: IT Eve s14@ Adam, Adam 81
242 oblige, Eve, total s2,056.-Ex.
The labor world., 1922-08-19

defiance Of rules Of safety and in de-
fiance of law, is taking a toll Of hu-
man life.
Constant reiteration, by persons evil
IDENTIFY in possession Of accurate infor~
nation, of charges that totally unfit
locomotives are being used both in the
freight and passenger service of the
various railroads justifies the demand
for some other explanation for the in.
creasing number Of wrecks than those
offered by railroad officials.
The labor world., 1922-08-19
PLAYING CHEAP POLITICS.

y There was nothing political in the
deep waterway meeting held in Du-
luth last week at which Senator Frank
$B. Kellogg was the sole speaker. No,
there was nothing political in it at
all. Let US see.
The hand bills advertising the meet
ing were printed in q non.union shop.
Several union men took it upon them.
selves to question the promoters Of the
meeting and to ascertain why they
disseminated against union printers.
The unionists were informed that they
The labor world., 1922-08-19

was sought for and the industries
In consequence overrun by races
physically weak. as, for example, the
Italian, unframed in any industrial
occupation as was practically all of
the southwestern Europe immigra-
ton. '~:s.l -
You hear it said that before the
war man would lay 1900 bricks a
day, that in Chicago you could get
1000 bricks laid per man per day,
and that now 500 and $50, are all
you can get. The fact is that any
statement which does not go beyond
the number of brick laid by a man
in a day does not convey any ade-
quate information.
1T all, depends upon whether a
bricklayer was working on an g.
inch wall, a 16-inch wall, a 20
inch wall or a 24-inch wall, whether
he was laying to a line and filling
In behind his own work or whether
he was laying to a line and some
one else was filling in behind him,
whether he was laying face brick or
building a dead wall.
The same man might lay 1900
or 1,So0 brick one day and lay 400
the next day, and work harder on
the 400 face brick, pointed mortar,
than he did on the 1900 brick. In
other words. without some sort e
description of the work a. thou
sand brick is not the unit of the
bricklayer's efficiency.
|
put in the bricklaying trade in the
United States since the war, which
have come to me, have never been
accompanied with definite data as
to the width of the wall and the kind
|of work being done, or with copies
OF production or time-cost sheets
that would confirm the statements
made
The labor world., 1922-08-19

the president and was snubbed for his
pains.
"Such procedure," said the COVER
nor, "ignores the courts of the nation
and establishes a precedent whereby
any federal bureau OF department may
enforce it's whims or mandates by mill.
tary force rather than by legal ac-
tion.'
A precedent! That's what makes
this ousting of few .prospectors by
handful Of marines a matter of i'm
portance.
If force may be substituted for the
orderly processes of the law in one
case why not in others' Where will
the thing stops
There will be no stopping if Big
Business, backed by militarists Of the
:Pershing type, can have its way.