davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
WILL GO: OVER THE TOP

The railroads are now in a heluva
fix,
With things getting worse every
day.
They are hiring lot of incompetent
''dicks,",
And giving them skilled workmen's
pay.
The railroad men stand as determ-
ined and firm -
AS they did on the first of July,
And the profiteers see, just as plain
as can be,
That to beat them it's useless to
try.
Each day trains are late, none are
ever on time,
A schedules thing now unknown
The cars and the engines are fast
breaking down
And soon every road will be
"blown."
The trainmen, the firemen and engi-
neers, too.
Now bravely are risking5! their
lives: = :, q:
Such conditions as these are ter
rib1e strain
On their mothers, their sweet
hearts and wives
But wotintheell do these profiteers
care
For the railroad mems sorrows
and pains?
It's only for dollars that they give a
rap,
And to pile up their ill-gotten
gains.
They little believed that the shop
- men would stick
But they now. realize their mis-
take,
For the boys Of the shop will 90
over the top
And the peonage system they'll
break.
THOMAS H. WEST
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
Dividend NOT INCOME;
CAN CONCEAL PROFITS

The federal circuit court of ap-
peals has upheld the federal dis
trict court of Pennsylvania in its
decision that 100 per cent divi-
dend declared by the Gulf Oil cor
poration in 1913 did not constitute
income to the stockholders.
Instead of giving stockholders the
100 per cent profit in cash, the oil
corporation increased its capitaliza-
ton and issued same to the stock
holders. This capitalization Of: prof
its is not profits" within the mean
ing Of the law, said the court, fol-
lowing previous decision by the
United States supreme court. ,
The: suit was started by the Pitts
burgh collector of internal revenue
against William H. Mello7,\a nephew
of the secretary Of the treasury. :
e, Mellon owned 1865 shares, which
Melted him $1,26E,000. Stock to this
amount was issued him and the in.
ternal revenue collector sued for
$71,3O0 income taxes on the divi.
dend.
+ Had the governments contention
been upheld stockholders would
have been called upon to pay sew
eral million dollars in taxes. +
Under the stock dividend scheme
the income tax is lodged.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
Finland : !! !! ]! |. LONGS |: \ FOR
RESUMPTION OF TRADE.
=: WITH SOVIET RUSSIA

Is Russian trade as an issue is NOR 2
to the fore than ever in Finland and
the most important factor therein
is American gold. IT,
Hugo SHINES and the Krupps, it
lis argued, may form the so-called
mixed companies" with the soviet
government as fellow shareholders:
David Lloyd George, prime minister
of Great Britain, may exert him.
self in. the matter of oil conces-
sions; profiteers may engage in d.
verse speculative transactions, but
until American gold, through Euro
pean channel II 80 into Russia the
mass Of the nations will not attain
to increased prosperity.
It is only question Of time when
the Bo1sheviki will be compelled
to make those changes of policy
without which capital cannot return
to Russia.
As first step for gaining a foot
ing in the Russian market, a COM
plete and strong organization of
those who have claims on Russia
will have to be formed.
There is probably no country in
the world so much interested in es-
:tablishing or rather re-establishing
a sound commerce. basis with Rus
I sia, its immediate neighbor, as Fin
land-and she longs for it, much
as she opposes and has very good
reasons to oppose Bolshevism.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
BY GEO. r. sAYLEs.

The recent charge BY the wife of
VIM. MacNiven, foreman of the Tom
Mooney jury, that her husband had
violated his oath Of office as a juror
by comforting with the prosecution
during the Mooney trial, brings to
mind scene on wet, misty night
in the early spring of 1921.
Outside, the streets were damp
with an early spring rain. Inside, the
gray. stone corridors of San Fran
cisco's Hall Of Justice. known far and
wide as the home of the Mooney
foreman, dimly lit, damp and chill,
overhung by pail of blue tobacco
smoke, were throrged with men
from every walk of life. Sleek, we'll
fed politicians and police officers
rubbed shoulders with labor men and
reporters from the local papers. The
labor men were not so sleek,~. nor
were they so we'll fed.
On a broad window-ledge a wo-
man sat chatting with an eastern
labor LEADERSHIP was the wife of
the man whose fate had been de-
cided in this ely building by a
packed jury, on evidence framed to
suit the necessity 90 the hour. She
herself had gone on trial in one of
the courtrooms opening from the
corridor where she sat, and after
weeks of hard-foug legal battles
| lad been ,acquitte on. the very. tvi-
dence which convicted her husband
And now ;no.h~r drama was un:
folding in San Francisco's Chamber
Of Horrors. Another black blot was
slowly spread across the seven.
hilled city by the Golden Gate. Once
more justice was being outraged
with the full gaze of the public cen.
tered upon her and none to stop the
horror.
Conversation Yves carried on in
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26

let it be understood that labor itself
is the greatest employer Of all. Each
of US, in our capacity as purchaser of
the necessities or the comforts or lux
uries Of life, is an employer and all Of
US together make labor the greatest
employer Of all time.
I When we criticize an employer for
his exhibit of antagonism to the de.
sires Of labor, let US reflect and see
how much of his defiant attitude to-
ward us is due to our Indifference as
to our acts as employers ourselves.
Is the employer what is known as
"labor crusher '-one who works
his help for long hours and low wages?
If he does this, and does it success
fully, who buys the goods he manu-
features?
We are told that the members Of
organized labor receive $,4000,000 900
per year in wages. The sum cannot be
far from correct. A buyer of $4,000
100000 per year could dominate nearly
all markets. Collectively, organized la
Dor is that bu yer, but it does not DOM
mate because the members of organ
lied labor do not perform their duty
as employers.
Let US be more consistent and square
our conduct little better with our
principles. We do not see how any
man can claim to be a real good union
man and still, in his own capacity as
employer, give employment to non
union help exclusively.
If any union member never thought
of this thing in just this light, it is
hoped that this may call it to his at
tention and that he will not soon for
get it. Every single labor union mem
Der transferred to the union employ
er's side is distinct gain.
There is no man in the trade union
movement so brilliant or able that
conduct amounting to unfair employ
ment can be excusable. The ADLER and
more brilliant the man, the more m
excusable the conduct.
Neither is any member of organ
lied labor justified in wrong employ
ing policy because someone else does
the same thing. Two wrongs do not
make right. Each Of US must be the
guardians of our own conscience. In
our capacity Of employer, let us be
consistent and employ union members
by insisting on union labels, shop
cards and buttons.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
.ANI|-uMON EMPLOYERS. =
WOULD PROHIBIT BANNERS

In its attempt to stop picketing,
the anti-union employers associa-
ton Of Bakersfield, CAL, urges the
passage of an ordinance which would
prohibit the carrying of all banners,
except in professions of .menageries,
circuses, minstrel shows, public pro-
cessions and like exhibitions. Trade
unionists suggest that the ordinance
be amended read that it applies
to organized labor only. .
These employers are angry be-
cause workers are advertising their
hostility to organized labor. This
publicity is hurting, and a demand
is made for a law that will provide
punishment of $500 fine and go
days in Jail.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
:.'W1GGLE AND D W0BbLE'
BY j. NJ. BAER.
The Congressman. Cartoonist.

When Senator Cummins and ex-
Congressman Esch framed the rail-
road act, they should have called
the railroad abor board the railroad
publicity bureau.
This railroad labor" board is
nothing more than propaganda ma
chinery to make the fake railroad
statistics "officiar' in the eyes Of
the gullible ublic Like every other
it has been :ade tool of privilege
by the Harding administration.
When an autocratic board tries to
replace the economic laws and sets
up a bureaucratic dictatorship to ar
bitrarily fix wages and working con-
ditions it is plain Bolsievism.
The present administration got in
TO power by bowling against gov
j eminent control = Of everything
Harding's chief issue was one against
'Wiggle and Wobble," and that is
all he has done since he has been
in office.
! II the administration does not be-
lieve, in, government Interference,
why does it. not repeal the vicious
Esch- Cummins law? Why does it not
do away with these so-called $50
cialistic and paterna1istic" measures?
Because Big Business says. mo-"
| Big Business says mo" because
this privileged octopus knows that
it can control everything more easily
if the government first controls it..
It knows that it not only has the
ear of the president, but it has him
by the ear.
Consequently, Big Business is ask
ing for more control" believing
that it can control the controllers -
It wants more regulation because
Privilege alv'' avs regulates the reg
ulators.""-:. 80 -
At any rate, Big Business has the
best little, controlled and regulated
president that it ever had and that
is going SOM. u, +aa,.' d.,
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
TRACTION OFFICIALS DID
NOT CARETO MEET MAYOR


Big business, represented by the
Buffalo and Philadelphia traction
companies, gave a sample of their
regard for the public when called
upon by the mayor Of Buffalo to
give their version Of the .:treet car
strike to committee appointed for
that purpose:
r The strikers were represented, but
the street car company's representa-
tives failed to appear. ~
Despite this. insult, three mem
bers of the mayors. committee pre-
senteds minority report and att
tempted to white wash the company.
Behind the strike is an attempt to
install the anti-union shop. In Phil
adelphia the company has a COM
pany ''union, 'r'.:whose members are
strikebreakers, IN Buffalo. ~ ~,
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
SAN FRANCISCO FRAMEUP GANG HAVING
BUSY TIME KEEPING MOONEY IH PRISON

low tones. he San francisco county
grand jury was in< session behind
closed doors and they were settling
the momentous question Of whether
they would hear the testimony of
witness who had travelled all the
way from New York to relate how
he perjured himself in the trial Of
Tom Mooney--whether. they would
hear his testimony or whether they
would brighten him away by threat
ening to indict him.
An air of expectancy hung over
the packed mob Of people. The stone
walls of: the corridor seemed to hover
closer, as If to crush those who
might have the presumption to raise
their voices in protest. A man came
down the corridor-the reporters
rushed eagerly to him and as swift
ly rushed away-he had no news.
Another man-on, his face the COM
placent look Of one who has done
his work we'll, with the air of the
successful money-changer about him,
accompanied by. another who bore
| the all too obvious marks of
hounder of his fellowmen, pushed
his way through the crowd. He was
VIM. MacNevin, apparent generals
simo of the frameup forces for the
evening. His, companion was Billy
Otis, a Burns detective of unsavory
record, who had been revealed as a
conspirator against Rena Mooney
by the Densmore Report.
The walls lowered closer. The
crowd pressed forward. Even the
street noises seemed hushed for the
| revelation. Snatches of the CONVEX
sation were audible to those about
them. 1--WE won't let Macdonald tes-
tify-we have thirteen members of
the grand jury with u.s."
MacNevin had spoken for the
frameup gang. Macdonald did not
testify.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26


the effects of causes. Remove the
cause and there will be no strikes.
The germ Of the present railroad
strike got into the railroad systems
many years ago. It has been work.
ing insidiously ever since. It began
its deadly course through American
transportation when the Harrimans
and the Morgans "re-organized" de.
funct railroads following the panic Of
1898 by loading the corporations with
watered stock. That stock must draw
dividends, There are eight billions
Of it outstanding.
The railroad public has been gouged
to the limit to enable the roads to
earn sufficient money to pay divi-
dends on nearly 20 billions Of CAPT
tai when there are actually less than
IL billions invested, and still the
earnings Of the roads are insuffi-
cient. The public has refused to
stand for further gouging. So the
railroad workers, must pay with re-
duced wages. That is the cause of
the shopmen's strike and that will be
the cause Of more strikes yet to
come.
The strike is the only organized
protest that has been made by any
portion Of the American public
against watered stock. No wonder
the Fat Boys want to abolish it.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
statement is also used by glib-tongued
off ar 1,,rs

oV"VSAASAAC 10 <@Aoo uoS0 ~ SAAO wig wv
efficiency bugs.
Now comes Senator Jones with the
statement that cit is difficult to as
certain the costs of production in the
United States as to any one indus
try" He said it was impossible to
find the Cost Of raising cattle, and
that cit is the same with every other
commodity"
I" In all the vast industries Of this
country there are but relatively few
items where the exact cost Of pro.
duction can be ascertained," he said.
"What is the .by-product of one in
dustry is the primary product of an
other industry, and so on.
"1n the production Of sugar, &C
cording to the tariff commission re-
ports, the cost varied from $53' q
ton to $155 ton. How can any
man say what the cost of production
Of sugar is, with these different fac
tories varying so greatly as to their
costs So in every other line Of in.
dustry.'
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
THE HAZARD OF THE LAKES.

A recent Associated Press dispatch
from Buffalo states that a passenger
line Of steamships ON the Great Lakes
will start $1o,ooo,ooo worth of lake
shipping cat once" if the seamen IS
act is modified. The authority for
this statement is given as ga spokes-
man, for A. A. Schantz, president
Of the Detroit & Cleveland Naviga-
ton company.
It could hardly be expected that
Mr.. Schantz would stand behind the
statements made, which include the
us$ Of certified seamen' instead
of able seamen. This means that the
new vessels, with carrying capacity
Of 1000 passengers each, would be
protected not by competent seamen
but by men who have been certified
that they are able to pull an oar in
boat.
This would be pleasant prospect
for women and children in a storm
on Lake Superior or Lake. Erie, fo1
instance, when the highest skill that
seaman possesses is necessary t
swing a life boat free from roll
ing ship.
American passenger steamships o,
the lakes, it, is said, are forced t
carry SO Is per cent more crew tina,
Canadian competitors" says tn
"spokesman."
It will be noticed that the word
cit is said" permits the spokesman
to prove an alibi for those reader
who do not know that there is n
competition with Canadian or othe
foreign vessels in the Americal
coastwise trade. 49,
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
'ATTERBURY DANCES J|G,'
SAYS WASHINGTON PAPER

General Atterbury Of the Penn
sylvania> railroad, was so delighted
over the prospect of continued war
between the railroads and union ship
men that he danced Jig after leav-
ing the White House. according to
the Washington correspondent of the
Philadelphia North American. 49,
The correspondent telegraphed his
paper: - .-.'' - ID
General W. W., Atterbury of the
Pennsylvania, who has been irrecon-
ci]able, danced jig while holding
on the arm Of "A. H. Smith of the
New York Central. = r.
cts all over as far as I am con-
cerned," he said. ,...... e.. X.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
NEWBERRY AND NEWBERRY1TE'

~ Il w o01S04 31XNO N0 "oks3S1S - 0sS
Two of the men who voted to re-:
tain Truman H. Newberry from Mich
igan in a purchased seat in the SEN
ate have already been eliminated from
that body-Harry s. New Of Indiana
mad Porter J. McCumber Of North Da-
kota. Others like Calder Of New York,
France Of Maryland, Frelinghuysen
Of New Jersey, Kellogg Of Minnesota
and Townsend Of Michigan are on
their way to the eliminator, with good
prospects that there will be several
others after November. r - .s 4 ..55
With New and McCumber defeated
and with the people g :headsmen stalk
ing behind the other Senatorial New.
lberryites, who are up for reelection,
the beneficiary of all this treachery
to the public interests and the iRepub-
sican party, Senator Newberry him
self sits smilingly and comfortably
in his seat in the senate chamber with
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
STRIKERS TREATED As
;. CRIMINALS BY POLICE

. Condemnation Of the Philadelphia
police was recorded by the central
labor union in a sizzling set Of reso-.
lutions which declare that the police
force 'fn some cases taking into
their own hands the law they are
sworn to- uphold, have beaten and
man-handled the workers unmerci-
fully. even taking wives Of striking
railroad shop men-after placing
them under arrest for distributing
circulars I'd ealing with reasons for
the strike-to unknown chambers In
the city, hall in the company Of none
but burly policemen and forcing
them to remove their footwear and
have their feet measured and finger
prints taken, and endeavoring to
compel them to be photographed,
the same as common criminals. long
before the magistrate had even heard
/ their cases. .!!yss5ss III Il II. rs I sa5
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
WE ARE EMPLOYERS.

* 1t is common practice of wage
earners to find fault with their en-
ployers. Often they may have just
cause 80 to do, although from force of
habit many Of them probably would
10 so whether justified or not. It is
more natural for all of US to find
someone at fault other than ourselves.
But in all the criticism that wage
sarners may direct toward employers,
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
THE RIGHT TO STRIKE.

There might be Detter way OF
settling differences between employ
ers and employees than by the strike.
There should be. There would be If
there were less Of the "master and
man. attitude and more Of the DEM
ocratic partnership conception in our
industrial life than there are today.
Strikes are costly to both employ
ers and employees. They sometimes,
as in the case of a railroad strike,
are annoying to the public and even
costly. Local, state and federal gov
er1ments, too, are frequently put to
great expense during strikes, some
of which is largely unnecessary.
Yes, there should be way of get
ting rid of strikes, we admit. How
can it be donee That's the question.
It was tried in England for several
hundred years. It was made a con-
spiracy for two or more workmen
to ask for a higher wage and at
tempt to get it by quitting work.
Six men at Dorset, five Of them
Wesleyan lay preachers, early in the
Nineteenth century, asked their en-
ployer for an increase in wages of
| one shilling a week. They refused
to work unless it was paid. They
were arrested and held for trial un-
der the conspiracy laws. They were
found guilty and sentenced to long
terms of Imprisonment on a prison
ship. There they suffered terribly.
Upon their release the stories they
told set England aflame. The laws
against strikes were repealed. Eng
lish workers became free, and upon
the ruins of the old British con-
spiracy laws against labor the mod
ern trade union movement was built.
Now we have public men and
newspapers that would enact again
the unjust laws of the middle ages
and throw labor back to the cen
turtles from which it emerged through
flood of tears and blood. Every
so-called industrial court law will
teeth in it, and every compulsory
arbitration law automatically. revives
the law Of conspiracy in its applica
ton to workers who 60 on strike.
The Duluth Herald uses a lot Of
honey to palliate the poisoned hem
lock in "can 't-strike' legislation
The right to quit work is as sacret
to American workers as the mucl
Haunted right to work, right con
tingent on the employers need ant
temperament. The right to quit is th'
} only absolute right the worker en-
joys at his employment, and Their
are those who would take it ava.
from him in the belief that the aboli
ton Of strikes would solve the labor
problem.
When Samuel Gompers says tina
if congress enacts law that will
chain workers to their jobs it will
reduce them to slavery, he know
what he is talking about. "Such
law wouldn't last over night" say
the Herald, but labor knows it would
What advantage would there be i,
giving to railroad labor board com
pulsory powers if the law did mo-
J. give it the authority to enforce it,
awardsf .4sa4 +. .og. - 49,. ss.ssAa
= 4 ~. .yE !: il. -. Il. "a. Il.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
PRODUCTION COSTS VARY.

The stock statement, ttFound: tho
cost Of production in this country
and abroad" was given a black eye
by Senator Jones Of New Mexico in
debating: the pending tariff bill. . IT,.
: For years this statement -. has
easily rolled off the tongues Of, men
who affect an air Of wisdom as they
declare that tariff making is solely
matter Of finding the differences in
production costs between the United
States and various countries. The
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26

the assurance of several more years
of political life, or until the new sen
ators this fall meet in the next reg
ular session, when it is highly prob
able that the word Newberry will be-
come synonymous with raspberry.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-08-26
SENIORITY, A RED HERRING.

The injection Of the seniority qucs-
ton as an issue in the shopmens'
strike is clever ruse on the part
of the railroad executives. To many
readers the strike means fight for
seniority. It is nothing Of the kind.
It is red herring introduced for
the purpose Of obscuring the real is
sues.
Railroad officials seek to make it
appear that the seniority rights are
favors which the men should forfeit
as penalty for exercising their adj
mitted right to refuse to work under
non acceptable conditions. The fact
is that seniority rights are essential
to the efficient operation of trans
portation service.
For their own good the roads wisl,
to retain the senior, more efficient
employees, after the strike. They talk
loudly now Of 'protecting" the new
men for the purpose of diverting at
tention from the main issues.
"They also hope to wipe out the
principle Of seniority 50 that. when
it suits their purpose they can weei
out those workers most active il
the protection of rights Of their fel
low employees. This would punish the
more independent, forceful worker!
and intimidate others.
"These are but high spots in tho
fight for decent conditions in tn
transportation industry. !. They ar
the accumulation Of several years
bitter assault on the rights Of work
ers in the hope of disrupting thsi1
organizations. The employees know
that only by standing together car
they Withstand these attacks. They
are united as never before, and vic
tory is certain.''