Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1924-03-21
I Comment and Criticism

Observation-Disclosures:
Once upon a time there was in the
United States Senate man named
Joseph |. France. Now here Is q
rough but truthful condensation Of his
evolution:
He went to Russia.
He came back, pro-soyiet Of the
rOsiest kind.
He was not reelected to the Senate.
He went back to Russia.
He is now on his way home again,
after negotiating" the newspapers
report, Several industrial and trade
propositions involving American cap
ital."
In other words, Senator France,
who was ardently pro-sogiet, has now
got some concessions.
But while Senator France was be
ing handed his concessions. some Of
the best men in Russia were being
ordered to trial for the purpose of
condemning them to death.
Among these men are some OF
Russia's brilliant personages, men of
science, art and letters, who have
given much to their country. In late
years they have served even under
the soviets, seeking to give something
to their countrymen.
But the soviets must, for reasons
of their own, teach a lesson and
so there must be sacrifices.
What a hideous proceedingl And
how lovely it is that Senator France
got his concessions.
-
Despite the active campaign car
ried on by big financial interests
against a soldiers bonus. it is evident
that bonus sentiment in Congress, in
stead of weakening. is growing. Con-
gress appears to realize that the peo-
pie are demanding justice for the ex-
service men and women and that the
nation is not to be fooled by the
propaganda which seeks to present the
United States as too poor to afford a
bonus.
David Belasco, whose pictures al
ways make him look like a clergy
man, says he won't deal with the
Actors Equity Association. He'll quit
first.
"You can't organize art" chimes in
a newspaper Photographer whose
ignorance is most profound.
Well, the Actors Equity doesn't try
to organize art, but it has organized
artists and given them a hold on life
which prior to organization was con-
stantly threatened by the unscrupu-
lousness of managers.
If Mr.. Belasco would rather quit
than be fair, the sooner he quits the
better. If he can't continue as pro-
Queer under fair conditions, with fair
treatment of the people of the stage,
then it is to be hoped he will quit.
The public, victimized by CONNER
cialized stage and box office that
frankly plays the game with scalpers
in many cities, can afford to be gen.
erous in its sympathies with the one
force that is capable of freeing the
stage for art. That one force Is the
Actors Equity.
Mr.. Belasco's position is to be re-
GREETED, naturally, but it would be
even more regrettable if the actors
were to submit to his dictation. The
people of the stage are not going to
return to the old days of unbridled
exploitation.
In the midst of a general attack
on the 8-hour workday in Europe,
cheering news comes. from Switzer-
land. That progressive nation has
stuck by the 8-hour day and has re-
iected by a decisive majority pro-
posal to lengthen the working hours
in factories to ID weekly.
BY killing the 54-hour week, Switz-
erland serves notice on the world that
she is assisted with the S-hour day
and doesn't propose to take a step
back toward the old days of unhu-
man and degrading hours of toll.
Let's hope that the interests now
attacking the S-hour day in various
European countries will heed the re-
suit of the Swiss referendum and
will realize that the 8-hour day has
come to stay in every civilized nation
on the face of the earth.
Cooperation between organized
labor and the Baltimore & Ohio rail-
road at the Glenwood shops is no
longer an experiment. 1t is a success,
as demonstrated by the decision of
the B. & o. to extend the cooperative
plan to all parts of the system.
When the B. q 0. settled with the
striking shopmen, it put into effect a
cooperative plan which has been
watched with intense interest by rail-
road men and organized labor The
agreement provided for recognition of
the shipments unions as necessary,
constructive and helpful agencies in
the running of the shops, repair yards
and roundhouses, the equitable sharing
between shopmen and railroad of the
gains of cooperation and the stabiliza-
ton of employment.
Now the Glenwood plan will be
established all over the system. affect
ing more than 10000 men. Coopera-
tive meetings will be held at all i'm
portant points ON the system bi-week-
ly. The management of the railroad
will be represented at these meetings
by local officers, while the unions will
have their own shop committees.
The action of the b. & o. is only
another proof that it pays to be fair
to organized labor, which has been
strongly emphasized by the remarka-
Bile progress made by the railroad
since it took the lead in settling with
the striking shopmen.
The B. & o. is finding it profitable
to work with its organized workers,
not to fight them. Railroads which
are pursuing the opposite policy will
wake some day to the same truth. In
the meantime they are paying the
piper"
Advocates of democracy will wish
full success to the move to enable
sailors at sea to vote in state and
national elections, 1t is estimated that