The Connecticut labor news., 1924-09-13
A. E. L. HEADS NOT
 IN FULL ACCORD
 ABOUTLAFOLLETTE
Editorial in Official American Fedora. tionist" Causing Much Com-
 ment In Nation.

The following editorial appearing in the September issue of The American Federationist has caused considerable discussion amopg the politicians of the land. Efforts had been made to con- vince the public that the Federation of Labor had swallowed Robert M. La Toilette, hook, bait and line This editorial shows there are many issues involved that the labor movement and MT. La Toilette cannot agree upon. It Is one of the interesting articles of the campaign and should be read with keen interest. The editorial follows:
 Privately owned monopoly as political issue is bound to play a part in the present political campaign. It con1pe1s attention, directly or indirect ly, in the political platforms. The Democratic party demands strict en- forcement of the Sherman antitrust law The La Toilette platform calls for use of the power of government to crush private monopoly, rather than foster it. The Republican platform propounds the good old doctrine of laissez faire, or leave things as they are.
 No political platform meets the thought of Labor on this great ques- ton of monopoly, and Labor Is con sidering platforms, could not and did not, make its analysis upon that issue alone. There are many issues, but this one is we'll worth special considera- ton at the outset in. order that La bor's future course may be as clear as has been its past record.
 The American Federation of Labor has demanded and will continue to de- mand the repeal of the Sherman anti trust act It can not hold with the Republicans that nothing needs to be done, but 1t would prefer the status quo to a tinkering process that would result in strengthening the antitrust act or in creating new political ma chinery with which to burden Labor and industry without bringing real benefit to either.
 Let it be set forth definitely here that Labor and industry are indivisible and inseparab1e. Labor, as such, may have interests that seem to clash with the interests of other factors in indus try, but as a part of the great world of industry, labor, management, science, all share i'll the responsibility for the productivity and general wel1-being of industry and they are all bound up in its fate.
 Labor can not go with the Dem ocratic demand for strict and stern app1ic of the Sherman law. The only strict and stern enforcement that act has yet had has been against La bor-and Labor confessedly and abso- lutely has had enough!
 Labor has protested from time out of mind against being c1assed with dead, dull merchandise Labor is not a commodity. The Democratic plat form declares that Labor Is not com modify, but 1t cancels this lip service by demanding enforcement of a law which almost more than any other has served to place Labor before the courts in the category of commodities.
 Neither can American labor approve the demand for what is often termed government rpression Nof monopoly. Labor's fight is not against combina- ton in industry as such, but is against the evil influence which control great combinations, and which are all too often exerted in our political, individual and economic life.