Workmen's advocate., 1886-12-19
DEFINITE ACTl(
BROAD GENERAllTlES OF
 EXECUTIVE OFFICER.
(. S. Griffin Criticizes T. V. Pow ly's Tactics-A Good Leader , Public Sentiment, But Poor Leader of Men.
 Great setback.

Early in the spring, or the latter part of last winter, when the Knights were booming in aticipation of May l, Mir. Powderly issned an order to organize uo more local assemblies for the present, for they were being organized faster than they could be equipped, and there must be halt until the General Assembly could get up with its work, and could fix some safeguards against abuses aris- ing from this rapid growth. About the same time ,.e issued this order within the organization he published a proclamation to the world in which he declared that the Knights of La Dor would take no part in the eight hour move fixed for May l.
 This was a great surprise and set back to about every Knight who had joined the Order since the trades unions fixed May as the day for the strike. They saw then that through their own or somebody's ig- norance or stupidity, or somebody's corruption, they had been led to join the wrong organization. Mir. Pow dcrly, seeing that this misunder- standing had created confusion and feeling, took special care that it should not occur again, and there fore in his address at Richmond dis tinctly declared that the Knights of Labor would, with his consent, make no eight-hour moves until ten hours had been established throughout the country.
 The strike at Chicago was evident ly based on a misunderstanding of Mir. Powderly's present opposition to any oight-hour moves. He did not even recommend that where eight hours had been established it should be sustained.
 would be the last person to ac- cuso Mir. Prwderly of dishonesty, for l believe him to be q strictly honest and upright man, and that he is broad-minded and an able leader of public sentiment there can be no question; but as broad-minded men are apt to do, he generalizes every thing and makes nothing special and definite. For this reason Mr. PowderIy is worthless as an executive officer. He neglects every definite, direct action and turns everything into worthless gen. eralites. with the misguided notion that that is the way to reach the good of the great whole. An honest man, good leader of public sentl- ment, but worthless leader of men, must be the verdict of history upon Mr. Powderly.
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 Men cannot be induced, for any extended period, to stick to an or ganization, much less join it, and steadily pay dues and assessments, without seeing some definite point they are working at. And more, each man wants to know that there is at least one point ahead that IS going to benefit him in person, and he wants to know what that point Is and when and how it is expected to be reached. Any leader of any or ganization who overlooks these facts will not long have organization to lead.
 Men like to listen to broad gen erality, for it is the premise to many definite actions. But men think they have done enough when they have listened to generalities. A generality is something man will not invest much money ill.
 Laborers cannot be expected to organize or sustain their organlza- ton if their conventions fail to mark out definite labor policies, or poll- cies that fail to reach home to the heart and the interest of each man. -Dsnrer Ldb0r Enquirer.