Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1926-03-26
AMERICAN TRADES UNIONIsM
(Bv MAJOR GEORGE L. BERRY


made in the future as there has been
in the past in the matter OF develop
ments and expansion of human we'll
being, American trades-unlonlSm VIII
profit in the same proportions as II
has profited in the past providing II Il
adheres to the philosophy OF Amer
,can trades-unionism and refers TO
the records of the past for guidance.
Possibly the most inconceivable of
all demagOpuery is that which is be
inc aeitated in the United States and
Canada, in certain insignificant quar-
ters, in which the theories Of commun-
ism and sovietism are being advanc-
ed. Repeating what is said in the |
foregoing, it can not succeed either |
in securing control or in making ap- +,
plicable the theories if control was !
lad by it's advocates. The astound-
ing part about the whole proposition |
is that there are those who would for
a second give thought to this utterly |
impossible and indefensible agitation |
1t is true that in some International |
Unions the disease, mental as we'll as
physical-because the advocacy of
communism and sOvietism is repre-
SenGdIlNe
physical lazineSs-has made some in
roads and the inroads have developed
the same result as that which finds
example in the initial efforts put
forth by a soviet government, to-WlJ:
destruction.
! The American trades-union move
ment has its opponents among that
group of employers who would, con-
| -o;n Il w
workers to the basis of serfdom, to
destroy their sense Of independence
! and their right of citizenship, to sub
Cue them and to cause the enforce
ment of a system of submissions that
would stifle all hopes Of free and in
dependent expression and action. The
! American trades-union movement has
! been capable Of not only stopping the
growth of this offensive Of our OPP
ponents, but it has done much in de-
stroying the program Of the oppon-
ents of organized labor Now it is
true that in the accomplishment of
this result we have been compelled to
engage in many conflicts that have
left in their wake many casualties
from both sides. The economic losses
attendant to such conflicts have been
tremendous, and if it was possible to
sum up these losses there isn't a
doubt in the mind of the writer but
what it would be equal to, if not in
excess of, the entire war debt of the
nations of the world. But it was a
struggle for freedom and independ-
ence and the trades-union movement
has succeeded until there is little new
matter being injected into the indus
trial fields Of America. The trades
union-novement has found the anti
dote and that is organization, and its
organization has been tempered with
common sense free from unnecessary
belligerency.
But the opponent represented in
the unfair employer, as briefly de-
/ scribed in the foregoing, is the easiest
sort Of opposition when comparison
is made with the destructive influ-
ences of that sometimes commercial
lied but always ignorant advocate Of
communism within the ranks Of labor
There is no record at hand to justify
the claim that the advocates Of com
munism in the trades-uniOn movement
| Of America are the paid agents Of
antagOnistic employers, but if simple
justice was accorded to the promoters
of communism within the trades union
movement they would be receiving
substantial payments for the services
they are rendering to the antagonists
of the trades-uniOn movement, and
| as result Of it, to the antagonists OF
| freedom and democracy upon this
> continent. Certain it is that nothing
has been injected into the work OF
/ organized labor that has come so neal
/ abridging it's progress and develop
/ ment as has the communism advocates
/ within local unions.
/ 1t is not difficult to place the com
/ munist He is usually the type that
talks much and says little, that viii
take up the time Of the meetings OF
the local union in opposing every
thing that may be advocated which is
good-good that is free from mere
speculation. This sort of conduct is
intended to demoralize the local un.
ION, to keep the members from meet
ings and to make inactive local un
ions. One of the ways OF approach /!
| to sugar-coat, to play upon the sen
| timents Of those who may be depress
ed for any reason whatsoever. Anoth
er is to urge the expenditure Of mon
eys in order to bankrupt the local un
ion. Or, in a word, decentralization
| through the instrumentality Of oppo
sition to everything is the text usu
ally followed by the destructionist
Keep your eye upon them. They rep
! resent program Of destruction, The.
are unfit to associate with America
.,trade-unionists, and certainly as sucl
S are unworthy Of membership in tn
' organized labor movement. Let then
\. form their own organization, but don
Let them rlln NOnr organization.