Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-08-25

but American labor is top intelligent
to be fooled as to where its interests
lie in the tariff question. They Are
too intelligent to be fooled, also. by
certain brand of nebulous clap-trap
preached to them by few leaders
who want to Use them as a political
asset, in q combination with social
lists, flying the red tlag,
THE benefits of trades unions,
honestly administered. are recognized
not only by me, but by good citizens
trades unionism. 1t has elevated,
protected and dignitied labor. and in
so doing. it has been an element in
tie progress of our nation.
But why do so many politicians of
both parties continue to regard the
great. intelligent, honest, and con-
servative body of trades unionism as
if it were a Ruppet in the hands of
few socialist labor leaders, and
political demagogues?
Labor and Demagogues
Trades unionism stands Loyalty
and solidfy behind it's good leader
ship. concerned with the real inter-
ests of the crafts and the real prog
rCss of labor, but it has never fol-
lowed, and will never follow the
ueUldSORGS. w UeH II selects
leaders. it selects them for leaders of
labor in the interest of labor. not as
proprietors of it's conscience or poll
tics.
let ME state n great truth which
no one understands better than those
fine citizens, the upright labor lead
ers of the country and the great body
of union labor:-the worst enemies
to unionism and the progress of labor
are the small number of radical
labor leaders who attack law enforc-
ing judges, and who. to the injury
OF law abiding trades unionism, mis-
represented 4he patriotic citizens be-
longing to it,
been denounced because l have OPP
posed the kind of union tactics that
have made building operations in
Chicago dangerous to human life,
where corrupt men have used their
Influence to eXtort vast sums from
the contractors, and where the gun
men and the bomb maker have been
actively at work. Every laboring
man knows of this condition in Chi
cago during the last four years
that there have been murders and
bombing by the wholesale-that
there has been extortion and jury
fixing. and that certain labor leaders
have gone into politics in order to
defeat law enforcing judges. These
leaders are thorn in the side of
honest unionism. Trades unionism,
with a preponderant majority. do not
approve these conditions. 1t abhors
them as much as l do. When the
illegal violence is condoned and in
difference to law is preached, what is
the part of good citizenship, whether
in or out of trades unionism? No
body knows better what that duty is
than the patriotic membership of
Trades Unionism. It is not to SUI
.pinely lay down under the whip of
the labor demagogues. as so many
political leaders and officeholders do,
when law and order are attacked.
1t is to stand fearlessly against them.
That is where the patriotic mass of
union labor stands. 1t knows that
its welfare, like the welfare of all
our people. is bound up in the Con-
stitution of the United States, in law
enforcement, and the American flag.
Il undertake to say that the few
labor leaders who, in this campaign,
are attempting to influence patriotic,
law abiding unibn men into a po-
litical combination with socialists,
flying the red flag, more than they
endanger anything else, are endang-
ering their own leadership. Common
American citizenship marches not
behind the red flag, but under the
Stars and Stripes, uphoiding the