The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-07-22
BLEASE'S
POLITICS
IN 1919
N Speech to Labor
Unions at Rock Hill
He Criticised State
and National Adj
nninlstrat tons S,

The following report OF "a
speech delivered at Rock FiE oy
Mr.. Cole L. Blcase was printed
in the Charlotte Observer and so
far as is of record none Of the
statements contained therein have
ever been denied or contradicted:
Rock Hill, Dec. %, 1s1s-ce4e
L. Blease, former governor OF
South Carolina, delivered an adj
dress before the representatives Of
the textile unions of the city.
Mr.. Blease spoke OF the, rights
of laboring men to organize. drops;
ping in some words Of advice as to.
what labor organization should
and should not do. A considerable
portion of the time was taken mp IN
criticising the democratic adHainiss
tration, state and national the
speaker referring TO the fact that
he was still as much opposed 70 ost
entering the war as ever and de-
cIared that time had shown whs1s
he was right three years ago. -
I! Speaking OF the labor unions, Mr..
Blease said men had the right 10
organize and to bargain collective
". Organize and tell people abes1t
your union. don't confine the mem
bership strictly to the men ofsthe'
particular occupation. He said
lawyers take in none but lawyers
and doctors none but physicians
One reason for the death OF so.
many organizations is that they ai~
low anyone to become a member,
said the speaker referring, pare.
ticularly. to the Organizations. OF
farmers. You have the right 70
organize and I believe in the rigsat
to strike when you think you are
not getting sufficient wage How.
ever, he Impressed the fact thai
this does not give the, right to DE-
stroy property, for while the ena7,
ploye has the right to quit II ne. s
does not receive the wage he
thinks he should the empisyer.
has the same right to refuse to sQay
i.it and tell the employ that hesWisk
have to quit. Mr: Blease insisted
that. t.tsTgmembe1s-of the local union
should be mighty careful in the
selection of their leaders. He
counseied them to strive to place:
and keep their orga anization on 2
high plane. and to strive, by be-.
ing good citizens as individuals, to
make their organization one that
would benefit membership. HIS
| parting word was to keep the orr
! SANITATION out of politics, saying,
that they say keep out Of poIiT
tics and that Is a good thing to
remember. " .s..,.s.#
Mr.. Blease bitterly arrasgned the
administration forces In 1Fashirs-
tonefor plunging the country into
warsand declared that his PomarsA
and Filbert speeches OF three
yeats ago hadsturned into prophe-:
sizes. He xtiil contended that we
had no right to enter the war.
and thougle events had proven
this. The people were fast repu-
dating those who made war pos
sible, and when they get another
shots they are going to put in q
republican president and change
the entire regime at Washington.
He declared that the present gov
ernnient is not democracy. the
past congress was not democratic,
that the president was not dem
ocrat and never was. He referred
to the fact that the government
was rapidly sapping states rights,
reference being made to-, the suf-
frage and prohibition amend
ments to the federal eoassisutisM
He gave the appearance ofs being
pleased with the thought that the.
country was going republican, but
declared that so long as they. put
"niggerss on the ticket in his state
he could not stomach the thougat
of voting republican. He adde's.
however, that he could not vote
the democratic ticket.
Mr.. Blease, also referred to ths
recent congressional election N
North Carolina and declared his
belief that the republican candf-
date would be seated. He said =
he was in congress he would vote
| to seat Morehead over Hoey5 <as
he believed the election was stoi-
en- from the republican candidate.
| Collier Not Guilty