Primary Sources
Letters to a Bishop; correspondence between Samuel Gompers, President of the American Federation of Labor, and Bishop William A. Quayle, of the Methodist Episcopal Church (1920)
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The challenge accepted; labor will not be outlawed or enslaved (1921)
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Primary Source Analysis
In comparing these two sources, Letters to a Bishop by Samuel Gompers and Bishop William A.Quayle, and The Challenge Accepted by the Conference of Representatives of National and International Trade Unions of America, both are discussing the effect of labor unions after World War I. In Letters to a Bishop, Bishop clearly displays an opposing stance against labor unions, arguing with Gompers in the process; the Conference of Representatives of National and International Trade Unions of America is most definitely for labor unions, explaining the supposed benefits unions will bring. The account for the difference between these two wildly different perspectives is the collective fear of labor unions after the First Red Scare in 1919, despite labor unions making gains during World War I.
Letters To a Bishop and The Challenge Accepted both tell us about the time period in that labor unions held important influence within the economy during World War I that tampered off after the war, due to increased opposition. This is accentuated by Bishop's distrust of organized labor as he says "'The very existence of our republican form of government in this country is seriously threatened because of the attempt of organized labor to dominate the halls of Congress,'" (Gompers & Quayle, 1920). Quayle is directly opposed to the increasing amount of influence of labor unions, fearing that they will control the government and make life under tight control. This fear is instilled by the fear of Bolshevism and anarchism after the Russian Revolution during the First Red Scare. This sentiment is expressed by many people in the 1920s, causing the decline in membership within labor unions, and thus their importance. This is also expressed when Bishop says "Our government is for all the people, not for any one class or faction," (Gompers & Quayle, 1920).
In contrast, The Challenge Accepted presents labor unions more positively than that of Bishop, where it also vouches for public support of such unions. Aspirations by the Conference of Representatives of National and International Trade Unions of America included for the working people "to organize into trade unions for the protection of their rights and interests," and other rights that generally improved the working condition for laborers (Conference of Representatives of National and International Trade Unions, 1921). The Challenge Accepted also states that "labor speaks from no narrow or selfish point of view" and that "it speaks from the standpoint of American citizenship" (Conference of Representatives of National and International Trade Unions, 1921). This heavily contrasts to the view of Bishop, where labor unions are perceived to be acting in the public interest, instead of obtaining power in the government
These differences in viewpoints may have occurred due to the collective fear of Bolshevism and anarchism in the 1920s, after the witnessing of the Russian Revolution, where Americans feared that labor unions were working to promote anarchy or Bolshevism to replace democracy.
Letters To a Bishop and The Challenge Accepted both tell us about the time period in that labor unions held important influence within the economy during World War I that tampered off after the war, due to increased opposition. This is accentuated by Bishop's distrust of organized labor as he says "'The very existence of our republican form of government in this country is seriously threatened because of the attempt of organized labor to dominate the halls of Congress,'" (Gompers & Quayle, 1920). Quayle is directly opposed to the increasing amount of influence of labor unions, fearing that they will control the government and make life under tight control. This fear is instilled by the fear of Bolshevism and anarchism after the Russian Revolution during the First Red Scare. This sentiment is expressed by many people in the 1920s, causing the decline in membership within labor unions, and thus their importance. This is also expressed when Bishop says "Our government is for all the people, not for any one class or faction," (Gompers & Quayle, 1920).
In contrast, The Challenge Accepted presents labor unions more positively than that of Bishop, where it also vouches for public support of such unions. Aspirations by the Conference of Representatives of National and International Trade Unions of America included for the working people "to organize into trade unions for the protection of their rights and interests," and other rights that generally improved the working condition for laborers (Conference of Representatives of National and International Trade Unions, 1921). The Challenge Accepted also states that "labor speaks from no narrow or selfish point of view" and that "it speaks from the standpoint of American citizenship" (Conference of Representatives of National and International Trade Unions, 1921). This heavily contrasts to the view of Bishop, where labor unions are perceived to be acting in the public interest, instead of obtaining power in the government
These differences in viewpoints may have occurred due to the collective fear of Bolshevism and anarchism in the 1920s, after the witnessing of the Russian Revolution, where Americans feared that labor unions were working to promote anarchy or Bolshevism to replace democracy.
Synthesis Article
The creation of jobs with large infrastructure projects in the New Deal bear striking resemblance to Trump's executive orders to build the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines to create jobs. These similarities tell us about the United States of America that the common solution to create more jobs, and in effect, expand the economy, is through the construction of infrastructure projects. These two are also similar in that they are most likely temporary jobs and that they cause environmental harm. However, they are different in the scope of creating new jobs, where the New Deal had created millions of jobs compared to the thousands of jobs that will be created by Trump.
Continuities and Changes
Technology, work, and exchange had vastly changed from previous eras, with the introduction of innovative technologies and major economic changes after the Great Depression.
Continuities from previous eras include the prominence of labor unions; racist sentiments towards African Americans in the labor force; advancements of technology, especially the radio that allowed for easier communication; and the importance of immigrant labor. Labor unions continued to play an important role due to government support and the popularity of advocating for improved labor conditions. Advancements of technology had contributed to easier communication and a general improvement of the way of life. Racist sentiments towards African Americans had still persisted, despite African American cultural movements, with the enforcement of Jim Crow Laws. Immigrant labor remained important due to the fighting of World War I and World War II, where immigrant labor contributed to the war effort.
Changes that occurred from the previous eras were complete destruction of the laissez-faire policy with increased government involvement and regulation in the economy, most prominent in the New Deal; mobilization of women into the war industry during World War I and World War II; a shifting of animosity from Chinese immigrants to Japanese immigrants due to the Pearl Harbor bombing in 1941; patriotic assimilation of immigrants, where immigrants were integrated into American society; Native Americans joining in the United States war efforts; and active intervention in other countries to expand markets during the Progressive Era, rather than having a concentrated domestic market.
Continuities from previous eras include the prominence of labor unions; racist sentiments towards African Americans in the labor force; advancements of technology, especially the radio that allowed for easier communication; and the importance of immigrant labor. Labor unions continued to play an important role due to government support and the popularity of advocating for improved labor conditions. Advancements of technology had contributed to easier communication and a general improvement of the way of life. Racist sentiments towards African Americans had still persisted, despite African American cultural movements, with the enforcement of Jim Crow Laws. Immigrant labor remained important due to the fighting of World War I and World War II, where immigrant labor contributed to the war effort.
Changes that occurred from the previous eras were complete destruction of the laissez-faire policy with increased government involvement and regulation in the economy, most prominent in the New Deal; mobilization of women into the war industry during World War I and World War II; a shifting of animosity from Chinese immigrants to Japanese immigrants due to the Pearl Harbor bombing in 1941; patriotic assimilation of immigrants, where immigrants were integrated into American society; Native Americans joining in the United States war efforts; and active intervention in other countries to expand markets during the Progressive Era, rather than having a concentrated domestic market.
Picture of the Progressive, WW1, WW2 Era
This picture relates to technology, work, and exchange due to the increasing amounts of government involvement within the United States economy, beginning with the Progressive Era with Theodore Roosevelt in trust-busting and industry regulation. This also extends into before the World War II era, where Franklin Delano Roosevelt created multiple agencies to regulate and improve the economy. This picture best encapsulates the time period because of the common theme of increasing government intervention within the economy, from the Progressive Era to the World War II Era, and eliminating the laissez-faire policy that previously existed in the Gilded Age.
Sources Cited
Berryman, C. K. (1907). The President's Dream of A Successful Hunt [Political Cartoon]. Retrieved from http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/progress/jb_progress_monopoly_3_e.html
Conference of Representatives of National and International Trade Unions. (1921). The challenge accepted: Labor will not be outlawed or enslaved, declaration of the Conference of Representatives of National and International Trade Unions, Washington, D.C., February 23-24, 1921. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/challengeaccepte00conf
Gompers, S., & Quayle, W. A. (1920). Letters to a bishop: Correspondence between Samuel Gompers ... and Bishop William A. Quayle. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/letterstobishopc00gomp
Conference of Representatives of National and International Trade Unions. (1921). The challenge accepted: Labor will not be outlawed or enslaved, declaration of the Conference of Representatives of National and International Trade Unions, Washington, D.C., February 23-24, 1921. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/challengeaccepte00conf
Gompers, S., & Quayle, W. A. (1920). Letters to a bishop: Correspondence between Samuel Gompers ... and Bishop William A. Quayle. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/letterstobishopc00gomp