The labor world., 1922-07-15

So-called loyalty laws were vigor-
ously condemned by the American
Federation of Labor in the recent
convention held at Cincinnati in the
adoption Of the report Of the COM
mittee on education which discussed
the issue in detail.
~'Such activities strike at the very
heart Of successful democracy" says
the declaration adopted by the con-
vention.
1.-THE Trade Union movement in
the United States has always taken
vital interest in public education
and has in many instances through
out the past century been RESPONSE
BILE for the extension and strength
ening of the educational system of
the country. Professor F. T.. Carlton
declares: The vitality Of the move
ment for tax-supported schools was
derived not from the humanitarian
leaders, but from the growing class
of wage earners.'
mot, therefore, ehiefly because
the reactionary propaganda in ques-
tion may tend to injure the imme-
diate interests of working men and
women, but rather because organ
lied labor is proud of it's record as
one of the original sponsors of uni
versal public education, and sees the
Importance to the nation of keeping
the wells of truth undefiled, it was
found necessary to investigate the
truth of these reports, the extent Of
the damage done, and to inquire in
what ways the trade unions may CO.
operate in the effort to give the
youth of the country free and un-
fettered education which will enable
them to cope with the problems of
the future.
IAN obvious and unmistakable
danger is that of legislation such as
was embodied in the so-called 'Lusk
laws of New York, and is being
sought elsewhere. Such legislation,
ostensibly directed against radical
ism requires teachers to take a spe-
cial oath of allegiance to the Con-
stitution of the United States and of
the, state in question and specifies
that a teacher may be dismissed for
deficiencies in character or for dis
loyalty Loyalty tests are in some
cases provided, and espionage is en-
couraged so that 'disloyap teachers
may be reported to the educational
authorities. The Trade Union move
ment does not expect any teacher to
be disloyal to the principle of con-
stitutional government, and it does
not believe there is the slightest
danger that public school teachers
will preach treason or incite to riot,
or in any other way abet the forclDle
overturn of democratic government.
ITO suppose that special laws, not
applying to other citizens, are need
ed to restrain them from doing so
is an insult to the teaching profess
sion, and is. in fact, SO absurd that
we cannot but believe the instigators
Of such legislation had other objects
in mind than their announced pur-
pose. And. in fact, the practical re-
suit of such laws is to endanger the
independence of teachers in dealing
with social problems. Exactly what
is 'disloyalty' and who is to be the
Judge? Is it 'disloyar to discuss pos
sible constitutional changes in our
form of government? Many narrow
minded politicians would call it so.
Is it 'disloyap to tell the truth about
vested interests in industry, or to
explain the justification of a strike?
Many chambers of commerce would
call it so. Such laws are not needed
to prevent the encouragement of
violent revolution, but they do make
it possible to prohibit any discus
sion which does not sanctify the
status quo. They open the door to
all reactionary powers, which can
use them to introduce fear and COM
pulsion into public school teaching,
to encourage petty administrative
tyranny and espionage, and to dis
courage any form Of instruction
which might offend the temporarily
cial interest.
but, after all, comparatively few
states have as yet passed the So
called loyalty educational laws, and
the number of teachers who have
been dismissed or threatened with
dismissal on account of their views
is small in comparison with the total
number. These are important only
as extreme symptoms of what is 60
ing on elsewhere, in a more un-
noticeable and subtle, but neverthe-
less pervasive and dangerous way.
"Your committee believes that the
American Federation of Labor should
reaffirm its traditional position, and
recommend that organized labor
make every effort to secure the re-
peal Of measures Of the. type of the
'Lusk laws wherever they have been
enacted, and further recomm ends