AGAINST. BOLSHEVISM

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 220, 11 June 1919, Page 9

AGAINST. BOLSHEVISM

WHICH "LEADS NOWHERE"

MR; GOrvJPERS'S VIEWS

In an impressive article in "M'Clure's Magazine" for April,' Mr. Samuel Gom:pers, president of the- American Fedora-, .tion of .Lab6ur,.-dofin,es'.l\is. attitude with, regard to Bolshevism. He points but «£ the outset that on the evo of the Ignited States .joining, the Allies' tho National' and International Trado Unions, in national conference, agreed to a'.'resolution offering '.'our services to our country ii> every field 'of activity to''defeml,.safc-. guard, and prise'rvo the Republic of Hie United. State's of ■ America against Lits : enemies, whomsoever .they 'may be,' and .we call upon our fellow workers and fellow'citizens in tho holy name <f Labour, Justice, Freedom, and Humanity to devotedly and- patriotically give like ser-l vico." •Mr.-,Uompers points out.that- tho -Labour-'.movement of America is bound, by the ; sontiments expressed in\this re-solution-.,-,-He then- shows, that the movement .has ,a coustnieti.ve policy-ntt jvolicy of progress; and he. •.' ■-■If-that policy .of t.h'cj American Labour, movement -is :opposcd and - successfully -.opposed, then bur; work, our- activities, and our-.'movement, will.- bo -sent to. ; destruction-, .-'lf wo are impotent, if ivo are incapable ;of ..securing for - the -workers, improvements in .their conditions, then; we ought not .to exist, I. say for, myself • .that if I were convinced' that thu Aiuen- ; •'can "Labour movement ;is imp'oteil't to be of service to my fellows," I- would' quit! it and abandon"tlio" organisation to its; justifiable, fate,, .: ~,.,. .... ' It is a. question of dealing'with such a movement as represented by the American trade unions—the American Federation of Labouiv-or•'dealing'.with a. body of Trresponsibles or-irreconcilables. If; 'we are not.on the right track,-.-then' those who.-represent, the wildest orgy of (lev Btrudtion.'with no • consideration- for tlie ,-rights:of individuals;-.-wiir come =to- the ifroht. It is;a: matter.of .cMcei.'between "dealing. ; .witl( .such'.demands.* or dealing with the constructive'-forces; of the; organised. Labour movement of our-coun-try. ;■;;■-.-. • -• - - ■•-.•,. .v.; "- \, : ■• ■■•"• Ifdo;nbt know-that'l; ani: entitled'to very -I'uiir-not ■• a Bolshevik. •■:■ With -my -understanding of American institutions and American opportunities, .!': repeat that 'the man who would not be a patriot in defence of the institutions of our cbuut'ry would be un-deserving'-the-;privilege .-of- living :in this country. '■-.-'■•'...•„'■.;'•.•.■ '-'•-■'- ..It is true" that..we "have' discussed de-. mocracy. .We bav'e'used that.term glibly.and often ..without understanding. It ,is triiethat we'have discussed freedom, without 'understanding.-' . I .•have hadf .the; opportunity; .of trayel in Germany.. V havei. never' -heard 'tany people so, vociferously aridenthiisins'ticallv sing and shout the. terms of'freedom and democracy as .did the German "people. Freedom, is not a condition,- nor'is-de-mocracy.a'condition.' -''Freddduv 'is the exorcise,-; the functipnirig of., freedom'; the practice; of jfrecilom,.;.'.the'-'practice; of democracy.. All that' society• enn- give, all-that government can give, is'the bp--portunity for. freedom. It depends upon the people to be intelligent aiid. grow ; into the ; feeling,''the ex'ercise.'ancl practice of the ftmction- of r ftee'dom. ■''• It, was' because the principles ;'o'f "vfreedoni "and dtmocraey were' pjcnaiieiK'b'v tho system of autocracy and .militarism that the people of our country and the peoples of other countries, and-of the democra-: eios of _ the world rallied around their bahhciisV and: deelareii;.-.'«nd made good their ■willingness to ninko' the supremo sacrifice, for the principles, the institutions, and the practice'of freedom nvhicjv were threatened'-to'be oVerty_helined" and crushed. ■;■;.- ?■ '■••.• '.' .;. '.. •; -. ' li I thought.'that/Bpls'lievism w'as ;: tho right road.to go, that it meant-freedom, vliistice; and 'tho'.principles of human society and-llving' conditions,- L would, join' the Bolsheviki.' ' It • is' because'lk'nbv.' that the whole scheme''leads"to s ndwhere. that it is destructive in its efforts,' and in its-every ; activity,- that it.compel* reaction and brings nijput-a si'tnation : Wbrso than the one' it-has "undertaken W'displace, thai I oppose and fight-it. ! ;,i