Newspaper Page Text
September, 1914
THE ATLANTIAN
The Atlantian
Box 118, Atlanta, Georgia
THE ATLANTIAN will give free space to all Secret Societies and Labor
Organizations.
On the other hand, we put everybody on notice when THE ATLANTIAN
makes a statement —’’ilcli we believe to be true, and sucli statement goes
uncontroverted, we shall insist that it is true.
Published Monthly hv The Atlantian Publishing Co.
E. Walter Tripp, Editor.
Vol. 6. SEPTEMBER No. 65.
Our Motto: “Pull for Atlanta, or Pull Out 99
Editorial Etchings
Labor Day
We have come again to the celebration of Labor Day,
with the usual beating of tom-toms and flamboyant ora
tory. We will hear much of the dignity of labor, and
those who labor will, perhaps, for an hour or two, strut
around under floating banners, with their chests swelled
out, and then back to the shop for another year of stren
uous work with the earnest hope that they will be able
to make both ends meet.
It is all right to celebrate Labor Day, “lest we forget,”
but the real need of labor is for a more genuine spirit
of co-operation and fraternity. What advance laboring
men have made in the last fifty years has been due en
tirely to the efforts of what is called “organized labor.”
But “organized labor” is a very small part of the total
number of laboring men. When one looks around and
considers the non-union men, the strike-breakers, and
the working men who, even at this late date, have no
conception of the value of co-operation and no knowledge
of what the word fraternity means, the outlook is not
calculated to exhilarate the lover of human progress.
It strikes the philosophic friend of labor, who is not
himself a union man, that organized labor, like many
other excellent institutions, has become too much devot
ed to the rubrics and the red tape, and is not sufficiently
imbued with the missionary spirit. The rubrics and the
red tape may be very well in their place, but they can
not take the place of that fiery missionary zeal which
conquers the world. If St. Paul and the other Apostles
had not been consumed with zeal, there would be todav
no church rubrics; and we note today that the church
makes progress in the world, not in accordance with the
beauty of its forms or ceremonies, nor the excellence of
its canonical laws, but in accordance with the zeal of
that percentage which is willing to lay down its life in
the cause and stands in awe of no peril if, by facing that
peril,it can hope to do good to some benighted souls.
“Organized labor” will accomplish its purpose in the
world only when, imbued with that missionary spirit, it
goes forth armed and equipped for peaceful warfare,
but fully determined that, so long as there is a dollar in
the chest or a man left to argue, they will never give up
the battle until every laboring man is brought into har
mony with the great purpose for which “organized la
bor” stands, and which, in every essential principle,
means the putting of humanity on a higher plane of civ
ilization, and the elimination of that spirit of selfishness
which has been the curse of humanity from the begin
ning.
Benefits of Organized Labor
The position of labor in our country today, far super
ior to that occupied twenty years ago, is due to
efforts of organized labor. Organized labor is no more
infallible than any other body of men; but its efforts
have been in the main along right lines. It has contend
ed strenuously for justice to labor, and the results
achieved have been such as justify a thousand times over
the organization of laboring men in co-operative societies
for the betterment of their condition. The benefits have
extended not only to the men who are members of labor
bodies, but to those who have held aloof, for these also
have prospered in the general uplift brought about by
organized labor.
Under these circumstances it is hard to understand
how any man in a position to affiliate and contribute his
share to the never-ending struggle for betterment should
hold aloof, as so many do. It is an evidence of very bad
judgment, to say the least. It is not even enlightened
selfishness, because enlightened selfishness would carry
these outsiders hotfooted into the camp of organized
labor.
The Atlantian wants most earnestly to recommend to
every unorganized workingman in Fulton County to
affiliate promptly with whatever labor body may repre
sent his particular trade or calling. In this way, he will
become an important factor in the amendment of condi
tions: whereas if he persists in remaining outside, he
not only fails to help himself, but is a drag upon the ef
forts of those who are struggling to help him, as well as
themselves.
Senator Hoke Smith
The people of Georgia have given to Senator Smith an
endorsement of which any man might be proud. The
record-breaking vote which he received in the last elec
tion came, not only from his original supporters, but
from many thousands of men who have not heretofore
supported him. The reason for this is not far to seek.
Senator Smith has remained persistently at his post, and
has labored as faithfully as any man in Congress to ac
complish certain things which, in his judgment will be
justified by the event remains to be seen, and is not per
tinent to the present discussion. The pertinent thing is
that he has given faithful and effective labor to concrete
into law these things, which he believes are called for by
present day conditions. The people realize that most of
the things for which he has struggled are needed. The
tariff needed to be revised. The iniquitous New York
Cotton Exchange needed to be civilized, and if possible
made honest, or else abolished. The present crisis
brought about by the European War demanded instant
relief which can only come from the Government; and
no man is laboring harder than Senator Smith to secure
that relief. The financial legislation, which is more open