President Mitchell, from being “terribly in earnest” in behalf of the miners, became the special pleader of the operators.
Oh, what a transformation!
Mitchell, the labor leader, and Robbins, the labor exploiter, pooling issues and joining hands to force down the wages of the mine slaves!
Oh, what a spectacle!
With all possible haste the national and state leaders made their rounds among the faithful. The “dangerous” locals and districts were all visited and mass meetings held to save the operators.
The slaves had instinctively rebelled against the wage cut, and the rebellion must be put down by their own leaders if they expected the plaudits of the capitalist exploiters and the “well done” of the pulpit, press and “public.”
Alternate pleas, warnings and threats were turned on until the fires were put out and the day was saved for the operators.
Only a little while ago Gompers warned the capitalists that reduction of wages would not be tolerated and solemnly enjoined his followers to resist them to the last.
Mitchell, Shaffer and other lieutenants of Gompers are the active allies of the capitalists in enforcing reductions.
Watch the developments!