The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-10-02


old fashioned
Labor Day features as parades, dem
onstrations, picnics or mass meetings,
it has extended itself to bringing out a
special enlarged number of its Off
cial organ, the Federation News.
Sixty pages this Labor Day issue
contains, but in reality it contains only
half that number since fully half the
magazine is lin Saturday Evening
Post fashion) taken up with advertise
ments. Advertisements of and for
unions? No, not at all The adver-
tisements are OF. banks, real estate
concerns, construction companies, in
surance houses, undertakers, manu-
faGturers, etc.
Let us see what the leaders Of labor
have to say to labor. On the very
first page we have an article by John
Fitzpatrick, president of the Chicago
Federation of Labor. Reading thru
this article, we find that Fitzpatrick's
inspiring message for Labor Day is
actually it is-that the popularized use
of the automobile has greatly in
creased the vacation value of Labor
Day. You don't believe it? Then
listen to Fitzpatrick himself. He
writes:
when labor day was first inaugu-
rated it was celebrated on each re-
curing occasion by great demonstra-
tons, parades, picnics and speech max
ing were among the many laudable
actiVities-but since the development
and popular use of the automobile
union men and women have been able
to devise ways and means more to
their liking for the enjoyment of the
holiday.
The automobile has made it posi-
BILE not only for the bread winner to
participate in Labor Day activities, but
the entire family from the oldest to
the youngest"
Fitzpatrick goes on to ecstasize
about how the automobile affords the
working man the opportunity for
three days recreation and enjoyment
out in the country, breathing the pure
air and enjoying Gods sunshine, get
ting back to nature. living the natural
way intended by the creator Of man
kind, instead of the artificial way
created by man, which results in the
housing of ourselves and our families
like rats in a trap"
Doesn't this seem childishly pa
thetic, coming as it does from the os
tensible leader of 100000 workers?
One wonders whether Fitzpatrick
really believes that the bulk OF the
workers own automobiles? Does Fitz-
patrick forget the problems that face
the workers on their 800 or so real
labor days? Is there no message from
the leader to the workers, on Labor
Day, other than that an automobile
makes this day worth while?
Incredible tho 1t may seem, IL Is so.
Let us now pass on to the Labor
Day message of another leader, this
time the head of Americas organized
workers, President William Green.
What is his message? 1t is this:
Two main issues of far-reaching
Importance should be emphasized on
Labor Day. They are:
I'D An intensive trade union organ
lzation campaign.
seq The non-partisan political cam
paign of the American Federation of
Labor"
Only half bad, progressive one
would be inclined to think after see
ing this. But reading a little further
along would cause him to change his
mind, for Green, in arguing for the ne
cesstty Of organizing the workers,
brings forward the remarkable reason
that it is the only sure way OF main
tanning industrial peace. Green does
.anl the workers organized so
that they can put up a stronger front
the bosses. 80 that they can enforce
. increase their demands-but 80