Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-04-03
WHAT LABOR MAY DO
THROLGH THOROUGH oRGANIzA-
TON 1T MAY UPLlFT ITSELF.

bISN ~ WV ~ ~
A shorter WOrkday II the Pressing
Need Of the HOur-Machines Should
Re "Labor saving" In Fact as Well
A. In Name.
For q number of reasons the labor
nplon has not been completely success
full. Owing to ignorance and selfish
ness it has been impossible to induce
all workingmen to join the union. In
some cases it was the fault Of the un-
ion itself. In other cases 1t was the
fault of the workingmen, who refused
to organize for their own protection.
The question may be asked, Why
should any wOrkingman refuse to join
a labor union? There is only one an
swer to the question. The labor un'
ion either cannot or will not guarantee
him steady employment. He Is COM
pelled to live and will obtain work
even il he has to displace union men.
Self preservation Is the first law OF
nature, and the workingman who has
acted on that principle cannot be ut
tcrly condemned.
For this state of affairs the labor
union is partially responsible. and we
must look to it for the remedy. Why
is it that there is not work enough for
all? The question is easily answered.
The labor union has been derelict IN
the matter of obtaining shorter work
day. 1t has permitted it's members to
work themselves nearly to death In
irving to do the work of the whole
body Of workingmen. In doing all the
work themselves they have deprived
others Of employment and made 1t pos
sible for nonunion men to take their
places when they are out on strike.
BY not insisting on shorter work
day the union man has injured him
self in two ways. In the first place he
is compelled to do his own work, and
in addition to that he is compelled to
do the work of others, for which he re-
ceives no pay whatever. In the second
place his action enforces idleness on a
multitude of workingmen who are only
too anxious to take his place whenever
he strikes for higher wages.
1t is perfectly plain, then, that If the
labor union will demand and secure q
shorter workday 1t would be OF inesti'
mable benefit to its members and to
workingmen generally. II the work
day could be shortened one-half, II
would be possible to employ twice as
many hands as at present without re-
ducing wages in the least. In fact, In
that case higher wages could be com
manded, for nearly all workingmen
would then be in the union, and If
strike should be ordered there would
not be enough nonunion men to take
| their places.
The labor union ia the workingman's
only salvation. If not organized, he
degenerates into q wage slave and is
compelled to work for bare subsist
ence. He must take whatever his mas
ter gives him and be thankful that ht
is enabled to live. But organization
places him on an entirely different foot
| ing AS member Of labor union hi
becomes the master Of the situation
and it rests entirely with him as tt
whether he will take advantage Of hi
opportunities.
The industrial problem has beer
greatly complicated by the introduc
ton Of labor saving machinery. Al
far as the employees are concerned
the term labor saving machinery" il
a misnomer. IN not G single instance
has it's introduction resulted in short
ening the hours Of toll. The only re
suit SO far has been to throw man!
out Of employment and to reduce tn
wages Of those who were so fortunate
as to get work. The advantage is al
together with the owner Of the ma
chine, who has grown rich on tn
profits.
A simple illustration will elucidat
this whole subject and help to solv
the problem Of labor saving machip
cry.
Five men are employed in settinI
type in a newspaper Office. Each re
ceives a salary Of So per day. But
typesetting machine Is introduced
and one man is enabled to do the wor
of five. It becomes evident that fo'l
men will be thrown out Of work, al
fierce competition arises among th
FIVE printers, each one Of whom is an1
ious to get the position. A says tina
he has been getting So per day an
that he considers that his services ar
worth that much. B says that he cal
not afford to be idle, as he has Wit
and several small children to supper
and that he will work for 81 per da
rather than starve. @ reasons in th
same way, and he offers to work fl
$3.50 per day. D offers to work ft
$1.25, and e offers to work for 81. Tt
result is that e gets the position an
the others are thrown out Of emplo.
ment. Not having learned any otht
trade and finding nothing else to d
they become tramps and q menace
society. 1t will be seen that the intr
duction of the labor saving machir
benefited no one but the propriett
and worked positive injury to ever,
body else.
Now the question arises, What is IL
remedy? Is it possible to have lab
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