New Britain herald., 1923-05-07
WOULD END WAR
IN INDUSTRIES
Trained Reserves Sci Forth as
Solution 10 Differences


Chicago, May TRAINED industrial
reserN IS as a coordinate branch OF
the national defense thus providing
a militia OF industry 10 preserve inz
dustrial peace as the militia at arms
preserves order, is the cardinal pFlhr
eiple Of what has become known as
the "Roekford Plan" for enFblng
strikes, according 10 It's author, Prot,
Henry Martyr llerriek, associate pro-
lessor of modern languages al Rock
ford college
The plan is described by Professor
Herrick as a "ehallenFa 10 union la
har 10 mend its ways hut Matthew
Woll, vice president OF the American
Federation OF Labor, characteristics
the plan as "impraelieable, absurd a
dream and perhaps a nightmare"
zone is strangely impressed with
the brillianey of the new idea OF an
Economic reserve" or army TO break
strikes of organized wage earners,
When one seeks TO find the sources
from which this economic reserve Is
TO be eonscrlpted, one is left in COM
plete darkness and confusion" said
Mr.. VOL, "Where Is he going to find
these voluntary strike breakers"
In outlining his plan, Prof. Her
rick states
II recalled first a question asked by
the acting governor OF Illinois OF an
OFFICIAL of the miners union during
the coal strike.
"'Aiay they dig coal for the hos
pitals?' was the question. No. re-
piled the official.
our defense has been wholly mill
tary We have defended our borders.
but not our vital industries We must
supply this lack by making trained
Industrial reserve coordinate
branch Of the national defense. The
militia of industry will preserve In
dustrial peace as the militia OF arms
preserves order. II will take but few
trained reserves to defend our vital
industries such as mining and trans
portation. Industrial unpreparedness
is as ineXcusable as military.
STRIKES, TO borrow good old medi-
cal terms. are either laudable or
malignant. Strikes in vital indus
tries are malignant. The laudable
strike usual in Lincoln's day. has be-
come rare. You see therefore why
our six million farmers do not strike
But to organized labor the strike
is the breath of life.
THE government, cooperating
with the entire educational system,
will offer a brief intensive course IN
one or more Of the vital industries
under the new plan. This Will add
purpose and aim to education and
put the mint-stamp on citizenship.
No drafting will be required, for vol
unteers will flock to the reserves in
allegiance to Uncle Sam, even many
from the unions to escape bad lead
ership.
Here is the safeguard against So
cialism. The folly of admitting I'M
desirable aliens TO do the work we
should do ourselves will be apparent.
The Bow Scouts will be ideal pioneers
of the new way
"The plan has made a good start.
In Rockford its power and promise
were quickly recognized. 1t has re-
ceived attention at the White House
and has been placed on file for refer
ence in the Department of Labor, IN
the division of Cancellation. The plan
strikes terror to the heart of the evil
doer."
Mr.. VOL, in commenting on the
plan, said:
prof. Horrick would leave labor
a To eft II
wants to, but he would set up an eco
nomc reserve, founded on voluntary
CONSUMPTION. that could be drawn
upon wherever and whenever the or
ganized workers dared exercise their
refusal to give service to the employ
ing interests.
His idea is now only in that he
would have the state, instead of the
private employer, venture into the
organization of strikebreaking, by
organizing "a state organization of
strikebreakers under the more elusive
term of economic reserves
Somehow the workers of America
are loath to give up their rights as
freemen. Prof Herricks idea is in
teresting because of his all-absorbing
desire to protect employers and indus
tries and in his failure to give any
consideration to the protection OF
human life and the advancement OF
the human interests of that large
group of producers-the wage-earning
class For the workers to resent
wrong, for them to organize to protect
themselves against economic enslav-
ment. for them to aspire to a better
life to the higher things in life, evil
IDENTIFY is all wrong according 10 the
ideas of Prof. Herrick.
why continue the unjustlfled and