Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1923-12-14

battle would mean defeat. The time
had arrived when it was necessary
for him to use strategy and to at
tack the enemy piecemeal. But
younger generals in his army, men
who We're envious of the high posi-
ton he occupied began to circulate
the story that Spartacus was becom-
ing conservative; that he was losing
his energy; that he desired to lean
upon his laureis; that he was unwi-
ling to meet a new condition with new
policies. They carried on their pro-
paganda SO successfully that a great
revolt or secession movement took
place. Thousands of indictments un-
der Granicus and Castus, two minor
generals in the Spartacan army, led
the movement. Filled with confidence
under Spartacus, they believed them
selves capable of overwhelming the
mass of Roman legions sent against
them.
The armies met. The battle re-
suited in the complete defeat and de-
struction of the secessionists and the
death of Granicus and Castus.
Although Spartacus still remained
in control of his main army, its ranks
had been so weakened as the result of
this secession movement that he was
never able again to take the field
aggressively; and finally the secession
movement led to the defeat of the
loyal troops under Spartacus and the
crucifiXion of some 5000 of his fol-
lowers on the military road between
Capua and Rome.
Labor may not always have the
most perfect program. Labor may
occasionally make mistakes, but, so
long as labor remains united, it need
fear no problem, because as a united
body it can overcome its mistakes if
any are committed, whereas, if il
divides its forces it not only will fail
to overcome its problems, but will so
weaken itself that it is no longer
capable of maintaining its position.
The tremendous strength which has
been acquired by the American Fed
Grafton of Labor is due principally to
two factors--the just and practical
character of its policy, and the fact
that it acts unitedly; once policy
has been adopted, the leaders and the
| membership unite in the effort tc
carry the policy into effect.
Division in our ranks today with
the problems which lie ahead of us
| during the reconstruction period
would be as disastrous to the welfare
of the wage earners of America as
the secession movement of Granicus
and Castus was to the fight for lib
erty being made by the Roman work.
men under Spartacus.
Our only salvation as workers lies
in unity of action, and the trade-unior
movement has adopted the principal
through which this is accomplished
1t is called the rule of the majority
and is based upon the Fundamental
principles of true democracy.
The citizens of the United States
are governed by the rule of the ma
jority. The American trade-union
movement is governed by the rule OF
the majority. Both are democracies.
The secessioniSt, the man who
breaches division in the ranks of labor
does not believe in the rule of the
majority. He is influenced by other
principles or considerations. Where
his activities succeed his influence is
more disastrous to labor than that OF
all of the strike-breakerS and anti,
trade-union employers combined. be.
cause he has driven the wedge OF
division into the ranks of ORGANIZED
Labor, and divided, instead of unit.
| ing their strength,