THE RIGHT OF AFFILIATION

"Affiliation with the American Federation of Labor is the right of any red-blooded American citizen." This statement coming, as it does, from one of our instructors and a specialist on such matters, is worthy of the serious attention of all members of the University. Is Mr. Laski sure this statement applies to everyone? Or does it exclude such people as soldiers and sailors, and other employees of the executive branch of government?

If he maintains that everyone has this right of affiliation with an outside independent organization, he is advocating the submission of all local, and, in time, national government to a centralized labor body.

At the first sign of any dispute between employers and employees this same body could paralyze the hands of the police force, the fire department, and even the representative form of government would disappear under such a system. Labor would dominate; all other classes would cease to exist. The American Federation of Labor would absorb the government, and the whim of its leaders would be the only guarantee of safety for private individuals.

We believe, however, that Mr. Laski holds no such extreme view, and that his regard for what he considers the ill-treatment of the Boston police caused him to say what he did. He is not so much in sympathy with the strikers as he is against the uncompromising attitude of Commissioner Curtis. No matter how far in the wrong the latter may have been, whole-hearted sympathy with the striking policemen cannot be. The argument used so much by their attorneys that they did not strike until assured the city was safeguarded does not hold. If they had known this there would have been no point in striking. They thought they could terrorize the public into submission, but they failed to realize the temper of the people of Boston. Even if the city had been sufficiently protected by the volunteer police force, there is no excuse for them leaving their duty. The soldier who deserts may know some one else will take his place. But that doesn't lessen the disgrace of his desertion.