The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-09-06


pathy with the shopmen would be
placed before the council "as a
matter Of routine business.
pose to invoke these laws, civil and
criminal, against all offenders
alike
Legal safeguarding against such
menace in the future, he said, must
be worked out when a chance has
been given to appraise the entire
situation. $50.
1--WE must reassert the doctrine
that in this republic the first obs
ligation and the first allegiance of
every citizen, high or low, is to
his government" Mr.. Daugherty
said, "and to hold that government
to be the just and unchallenged
sponsor for public welfare, and the
liberty, security and right Of all
its citizens. No matter what clouds
may gather, no matter what
storms may ensue. no matter what
hardships may attend or what sac
rifces may be necessary, govern
ment by law must and will be sus-
tained.'
Expressing his resolve to use all
the power Of the .koyernment to
maintain transportation and sus-
tain the right Of men to work, the
attorney general. he said, did not
appear as representative of the
roads but representing the people
of the United States. Expressing
the governments friendliness to-
ward all labor. he continues. the
government Of the United States
is not opposed to labor unions If
they perform such functions as. can
be performed in lawful America.
Never while the labor unions limit
their activities to legitimate acts
and lawful pursuits not injurious,
at least while I speak and to the
extent that I can speak for the
government of the United States,
shall a. blow be struck at them.
But It may be understood that so
long and to the extent that I can
speak for the government Of the
United States, will use the power
Of the government Of the United
States within my control to prevent
the labor unions of the country
from destroying the open shop.
When a man in this country is not
permitted to engage in lawful toll,
whether he belongs to a union or
not. with full protection and with
out interruption. the death knell
to liberty will be sounded and an
archy will supersede orga anized gov
ernment.
Not for Destruction
Unions, the attorney general con
tinued, should not be destroyed
but they should be corrected and
sustained. No organization or asso-
citation of organizations he said, will
be permitted to laugh in the froZ-
en- faces of a famishing people
without prompt prosecution and
proper punishment" After citing
authority under which, he said. the
court could enter the restraining
order, the Attorney general con-
tinued:
."The right to work in this coun-
try is as sacred as the right not to
be compelled to work, il man is
not disposed to do so. and every
man must be made equally secure
of his choice" He said the time
had not yet come for taking over
Of the railroads by the government.
The dispute between the en-
ployers and the employees is not in
volved in this proceeding" he said.
we have passed beyond this point.
A governmental body entitled to
recognition and obedience has de-
cided that dispute. l am not tax
ing sides between the disputants
at this time as an advocate Of eth
er. 1t so happens in this instance
| that the railroads are willing to
render the service the government
requires they shall render. They
are endeavoring to furnish trans
portation. On the other hand, the
| defendants are preventing trans
portation and are offending against
the law, as alleged in this bill, and
by acts of violence are antasonizins
and opposing the government OF
the United States.
Shall the American people suf-
fer?" Mr.. Daugherty asked. Shall
property be destroyed: shall COM
merce be destroyed; shall laws
be broken; shall society be dlsor-
ganized; shall prosperity and all
labor cease and the poor be in want
because employers and employees
engaged in interstate commerce. OBJ
ligated to the government and to