Saturday, April 19, 1919 THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE Labor in the War and After war.
terfuge.
a a The union stirred READ of strikes and labor disturbances, WE By Half Past Ten glorious day, but it was the day when the tables were but we hear nothing of those faithful, loyal turned on the workers. Where previously they had workers who trusted their public servants and patriotic employers during the war. Here is a case to handle precisely this class of dispute during the demands, from that day on this power was gone. Their the power, if only they had used it, to enforce their which think is classic. It lacks no detail of bureauThe case was referred to them because of the strategic position due to the war was no more.
cratic, empty promises, of patriotic profiteering sub prevailing conditions. It was dangerous, for that mata strike at that time. The It is true that another Four Minute Man came to cry of pro German would greet every move of the the shop, saying, Stick to your jobs. He had word Sturtevant Co. Hyde Park, Mass. applied to their ainst pro German? has since contracts for three years more of Government work, employers for standard pay and conditions. They met been shown to started by those who were have been and that the men were going to get a square deal.
refusal. Up until this time the union had been weak. on the pig having has a strike in the plant a few years previously to lose their privileges. Even the people represent and its effect on the labor situation went right over at any indication that they were What he told us about the demobilization of the army and been beaten; but last June it was well organized atives in Congress were subject to their dirty, crafty our heads. We didn get the threat that is, some of us didn of supply and demand in their commodity, labor this time, such as the so called Work or Fight law. Well, the union gave the War Labor Board another power. However, while the demand for labor was in theory all males of draft age were compelled to gentle prod to render a decision; in fact, several prods.
work 36 hours weekly at some essential occupation. There was also a tightening of discipline in the shop.
the price wages) would rise, there were other com. But there weren any millionaires coming to our shop Demobilization was going on. The labor market was ditions to be considered, conditions which abrogated to wheel a truck. Some store clerks, who had to give easing, the time was about right for the law of supply of labor is large, thereby iowering wages; fired since the armistice: don know what they act shevik; jail him, if possible, fire him at least. Plenty labor but is subject to human manipulation when the de doing now.
Anyone who said too much now was Bolmand is great, thereby preventing a rise in wages. sedition. The There were also stringent laws against raised through the Select of labor. Lot of it. Híre men cheaper, in fact.
not to lose a minute or a motion that could further red classification. The threat was made in several again; finally it secured a decision. The Board decided The country was at war. The workers were urged ive Draft. If a man had a family, he was given deferthe interests of the country. It was said that the war papers that in case of a strike, the men would be draft that the men should have standard rates, and that they was a war of production, that is, the side which could ed and placed in labor batallions, and put to work at should be retroactive. But the Board rendered no produce more than the other would win. It was even their regular occupations on army pay.
decision as to who should pay the men back wages ier, and that no man who had the interests of his have omitted. They all acted to prevent the men from dvanu goste hilesi talecisi pay, the of Sturtmanagement country at heart would lose a day, an hour, or striking van beter thigoaran corisidered the case of the wage as a masis. heybeir price to the Government was is up to the Governminute of working tine, much less strike and ize an essential industry. it was said, would Machinists and the Sturtevant Co. It sent a concili70 above list prices, in some instances. They canmean sacrificing the lives of their dear ones who were ator, Mr. Sullivan, to adjust matters. He obtained not pay, cannot afford to pay; their argument is that perhaps dying for want of the materials which the a temporary increase of 15 for the men and a pro as the Government decided the men should get inore workers alone make. You know the arguments, mise that there would a further adjustment whereby pay, the Government should provide the means.
the Four Minute Men told you all about it. the men would get the standard pay of the craft, when But some workers in different plants all over the the Board had decided the question as a whole in The union applied to the Navy Department for country did strike and won. Notably at Bridgeport, work. Sturtevant was and still is one of those noble retary Daniels that the Department would not pay.
whom the work was done, and were notified by Secconjunction with other plants doing the same kind of and in the ship yards. They had been widely con institutions believing in the sacred right of private conThe union has had legal advice that nothing can be done about it.
eral trend of public opinion, according to the voluble tract. There are no two men getting the same rate portion of the public, did not favor the use of the same work, Apparently, nothing doing. strike would be welpower by labor. The concensus of opinion was that up the War Labor Board from come to the company now, as all other departments labor should wait in patience until after the war bei from day to day, week to week, month to month, retime to time for a a decision. But the Board delayed would continue to work, and the condition of the labor market is such that they could probably break a strike any one advocate that the employers should give the serving a decision for one reason or another. and put the union out of business.
Then the armistice was signed. Everybody was of the case would be adjusted after the war. The hysterically happy. That is, all the workmen were. They have a moral victory. ait is connected that online Having digressed somewhat to recall the conditions day. We got the band out and paraded the town. In will pay it, nor even agree who should payrit nobody prevailing at the time, shall resume the story.
on your landlord or grocer. Tell him you concede knew some of us would lose our jobs on account of the the amount of the bill, but that some one else should Sturtevant machinists had applied to the company war end. But what did any man care for a job pay it. think this could be worked out into a system for standard pay and wages, and been refused. They when he knew that the workers no longer would it he puts you in jail for not paying him, call him a submitted their case to the War Labor Board, created be driven to be killed and to kill? In all, it was a Bolshevik. That will shut him up.
Debs and Developing Mass Action in Toledo THE final speech of Eugene Debs, before going to By Schwarzenfeld to arrest any more Socialists, although a dozen Yipsel prison, was to have been made in Toledo on Secretary, Workers. Soldiers and Sailors Council crowd took things into its own hands, and marched lassies insisted upon being arrested as a protest. The March 30. Arrangements were made to meet Debs at Union Station Sunday morning. Mayor Schreiber toward the prison, in spite of the soldiers. At the prideclared that no demonstration would be permitted awd Flag Hold the jail for we are comingers Socialerts imprisoned Socialists, under threat of breaking into son, the crowd demanded the immediate release of the iliat Debs could not speak in Memorial Hall We stand firm; Side by side we battle onwards oYictory the prison. After a parley, the Chief decided to proceed with matters as arranged, and the will come. began to speak, while the Detroit comog rest of twenty Reds were secured who were willing fades held hands to prevent the police breaking to medicale soldie Serialists In the waiting room, an through.
American soldier went police away. Sunday morning was chilly, but all went across to station at ten o clock. More than one thousand work under arrest. Six of the Detroit comrades went on to the climbed a tree to speak, when detectives placed memocracy, and m still fighting for it. The tor de Police then tried to put one over ers were there waiting for Debs. Word came that sympathetic arrest. Then the crowd spoke; six police and the crowd insisted under threat of action, that all by keeping under Then Comrade Mike Toohey, the local Socialist Party organizer, spoke to the crowd in the station for fifteen ing taken to the hospital. The crowd was beyond should be released. Then came a demand from the by crowd that should speak, and this ultimatum broke minutes. police lieutenant threatened At the prison we learned that more than seventy the will of the Chief of Police. All were released on if he did not stop speaking. was asked to be comrades were in cells. We organized a Soviet, and our own terms. spoke to the crowd about the necesto parade to Socialist Hall a line four blocks long, singing revolutionary songs. Down with the capitalReports of events reached us. The police refused and men and women, with raised hands, signalized their intention to ists! Three cheers for the Bolsheviki! We passed This mass demonstration lasted two and one half a police station, and two patrol wagons joined the May Day Edition hours. believe it is is the first time in the United States that 75 men under arrest were released two hours after Socialist Hall was packed with workers and enthu May Day Edition of The Revolutionary Age, siasm. The announcement was made that 300 Reds arrest upon the threatening demand of a mass of peocontaining special articles and a proclamation to le, acting on its own One of the Det from Detroit were coming to Toledo in two special the workers appropriate for that day. real roit comrades expressed their propaganda number.
we read in the leaflet of the Workers. Soldiers and reinforcements. Cheers and shouts greeted the Detroit comrades, an impromptu meeting was held, and. May Day Leaflet you were trying to develop mass action, our theoreticians in Detroit said thał then we adjourned to Socialist Hall, the situation be along similar lines to be used for free distribut action is mob action, and doesn get anywhere. see ing explained by Bob Topping, Treasurer of the Com ion at meetings, etc. We should make this an now that six months agitation for mass action may munist Propaganda League. On the way we passer! cdition of a million.
bring preliminary results. If any one now wants me Memorial Hall 5000 people were waiting for the hall Book your orders early.
to tell them how mass action acts, ll tell them saw to open to hear Debs. Here we got the news that form of mass action that took 75 men thirty speakers had been arrested. The 300 Reds from The Revolutionary Age Book Dep out of jail. Out of this crude expression of mass Detroit were marshalled by the soldiers; and as they 885 Washington St.
Boston, Mass. action will develop the higher and final form, for the neared the hall the sang an adaptation of The Red Revolution.
The Chief of went on arrest him 10 parade.
initiativ Sentiments thus: When elementary