Evening star., 1897-01-08
PROBLEMS IN LABOR
The Obstacles to Success in the Purpose of
Trade Unions.
The Conditions Which Reset Labor
ORGANIZATIONS I'm the United States
and Remedies Suggested.

Il cannot but feel disappointed" said a
prominent labor leader in Baltimore to a
Star reporter, that the progress of the
trade union movement has not been great
er than it must be admitted it is at present
L think most people who have given to
the subject the attention necessary to form
an intelligent opinion will agree that there
Is enough desire on the part of the work.
ers of the country to organize for their mu-
tual defense and protection. That premise
being CONCEDED, the question will very
naturally arise, Why have not the efforts
and sacrifices of the past been productive
OF greater results than are visible In our
time? And 1t may also be pertinent to in
quire If the general social. Industrial and
economical conditions of the present are
such as to warrant the hope of more
healthy growth and development in the
future?
Probably the greatest stumbling block
IN the path OF more homogeneous organ
lZatiOn of the wage-earners of the country
is found in the number of nationalties rep
resented among them. 1 do not mean by
this to imply that workmen of foreign birth
are not good trade unionists. Their trade
organizations In the countries they came
from prove to the contrary. But the
great majority of them represent in many
ways provincialism that is entirely out
of place in what ought to be the most COS
mopolitan country in the world. There is
feeling of national clannishness those peo-
pie bring with them from the country of
their birth to the land of their adoption. 1t
Is perhaps natural feeling for which it
would be unfair to blame them; but it
stands in, the way of that closer relation
ship to each other which is so necessary
for the mutual welfare of all those engaged
In any particular trade or calling.
Another reason. in my opinion, why the
trade union movement does show
greater strength and vitality is the fact
that the vast majority of the workers are
not yet educated up to the point Of appre-
ciating the value of high dues.
"A union with only members and no
money is dragnet on the movement. A
trade unions right to exist should be meas
ured by its utility as fighting machine
when an issue Is forced upon 1t. The prop
er way to fight money Is with money, and
while l regret to say it, it is nevertheless
true. that tens of thousands Of the trade
unionists of this country have not yet
awakened to a realizing sense of the i'm
portance of this simple proposition.
Power of the Union.
THE trade unionist should understand
that another feature essential to success
is what many people call tyranny. That is
to say there are many times when 1t be-
comes necessary as a means to an end to
ignore moral and legal rights and obliga-
tions. And the greater the ability of
trade union to trample on the legal and
moral rights of Others the greater the
benefits it will be capable Of comforting
upon its members. But / greatly fear
that ideal position-ideal from the trade
union point of view-is yet considerable
distance in the future.
Another great retardng cause to the
growth of the trade union movement is
found in the socialist propaganda. The
socialist processes to be able to cure all the
social and economic evils Of which people
complain by political action. And to this
end the socialist organizations of the
country are bending their energies. While
the o;d-llne trade unions allow their men,
bers the most unlimited freedom Of politi-
cal action, they will not permit the union
body becoming portion of any politi-
cal party. Here we have a condition OF
affairs that to say the least is not very
pleasant to contemplate. But that is not
the worst.
"Unfortunately there does not seem to
be much in common between the trade
unionist and the socialist from any point
of view. For while the trade unionist is
always ready to admit socialists to men,
bership in his union, the socialist on the
other hand, does not want the trades union
man to associate with MIN unless tie lat
ter is prepared to accept socialism.
This position of the two great sections
of the wage earners of the country toward
each other is a source of constant and
growing irritation. And SO acute have the
relations between them grown that one Of
the cardinal points Of the socialist propa-
ganda at this time is to destroy. II possible,
the entire trade union movement.
Socialism and Labor.
'It would not be fair to charge the social
ist with deliberate desire to injure in
adopting this course. I believe the great
majority Of them think they are right, and,
being as rule men of limited capacity,
they are naturally the victims or slaves of
a prejudice inspired and carefully fostered
by the few able ones among them who to-
day occupy the position of leaders.
."The trades unions themselves cannot, in
my opinion, be held entirely blameless for
AUCTION SALES OF REAL ESTATE, DC.