The Labor enquirer., 1886-12-11
LABOR POLICY.
The Richmond Convention was
Without Practical Results,
While PoWderIy
"Sidled," an Old Slave Driving
Scheme That Must be Met
by a Definite Policy.
The Blow That Laid Low the Eight.
Hour Movement Dealt by
Sentimental Leader.
For the Enquirer.

For the ENQUIRER
Everyone who is observing the tao
tics, or rather want of tactics, of ou
labor organizations must feel the grea
need of some definite policy. The coun
try looked to the Richmond convention
Of the Knights Of Labor for a defnit,
policy. In the opening of the conven
ton Mr.. Powderly delivered an address
that was made up of indefinite generali
ties and probabilities. AS far as the
public reports go I am unable to see
that the whole convention did anything
but follow In the same line of uncertain
and indefinite generalities. Such a con.
dition is not only worthless in itself, but
breeds the greatest disorders.
When an individual or a local or dis.
trict assembly makes but one definite
step that step is breach of all general,
cations. Mr.. Powderly said not all
working people have the ten-hour dav
and be was not in favor of shortening
the day for the ten-hour workers until
all others had first been given ten hours,
When read this statement from Mr..
Powderly, opened my eyes and looked
for bis policy. which suppose he was
Immediately to state, but read to the
end of the speech and found it all of the
same kind of generalities. He was def
mite enough to state that he would not
help the eight-hour move in any man
ner but wholly neglected to state when
or how be would do anv definite thing
for ths~eigh"hour move.
The cotton and wooden factories
throughout the United States are work
ing about eleven and one-half hours per
day. l expected Mr.. Powderiy would
say to the country, that the moment
IS per cent Of the cotton and woolen
factory employees are enrolled in the
Knights of Labor, then immediate notice
would be given for the ten-hour strike
to take place thirty days from the date
Of notice. This would be something
definite and the work ers would have an
immediate cause for joining the order,
and the manufacturers would'have due
notice of what to expect Had this
policy been marked out for each of the
industries that are working imen over
ten hours, then the knights sof Labor
would have been looked to asian organ
l14tion with a,policy, or one policy at
least, namely, the shortenin& of the
labor day.
Had he marked out a definite \pol
icy concerning the wages per day, then
the ten-hour men who are receiving
starvation wages would have had def
mite policy to work on to improve their
wages.
Or, had he said to those classes Of
men, like the 'longshoremen and miners
who work only certain seasons or to fill
special contracts, that as soon as 80 per
rent of them were enrolled in the
Knights of Labor, that thirty days no
tice would be published, and a strike
and demand for rate of wages would
be made that would make their wages
equal to 50 per day for the year. 10
Illustrate if coal company works its
men four weeks, then lays them of six,
then works a week and laws off two, and
then five and off three, and 80 on for the
year, the company shall sign contract
With each man to pay him 81 dav for a
specified time, which time shall not be
less than six months, and that he shall
be paid whether the company finds
work for him or not, and that no day
shall he work over ten hours, unless
paid 80 cents an hour for all extra time,
1t has been the policy of many employ
ers and d,especially the coal companies
when they had an actual use for the
product of 500 workmen to hire $50 men
and then lay the whole crew of on an
average OF one. third of the time, thus
keeping the whole crew poor, in debt,
and submissive. This Is an old slave
driving scheme that must be met by
something besides broad minded gener-
alities,
Mr.. Powderly may win the applause
of capitalism by such generalities, but
the individual workmen are not work
ing for capitalistic applause for Mr.
Powderly.
One piece of history in the labor
movement is being overlooked. 1t is
this; About two years ago, perhaps
three, | do not remember the date, the
trade unions throughout the country
voted to Ak upon May l, 1885, for
grand strike for eight hours. The
Knights of Labor neither endorsed OF
denounced the movement. All people
outside these two great orders supposed
- the May first decision to be a united
labor move. and that by joining either
the Knights of Labor or. the trade
unions before May l, 1888, they woulo
be enrolling themselves as eight hour
men for May l, and after.
1t Is fact beyond question that the
name, knights of Labor" is q much
more striking name than that Of trade
unionist, and men eager to do something
dsfaite for the labor cause rushed Y