The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-03-30

LABOR saving Machtnery-LAbO bOr
Competition Makes Cheap Labor
and Cheap Wages. f%
For number of reasons the labor
union 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 it 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
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
PEELED to live and will obtain work
even if he has to displace union men.
Self preservation is the first law of ma
ture, and the workingman VINO has act
| ed on that principle cannot be utterly
| condemned.
For this state of affairs the labor
| union is partially responsible, and we
AAuot lOOh " IL lOi JIle 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 a shorter work.
day. It has permitted. it's members to
work themselves nearly to death in
trying to do the work of the whole
body of Workingmen. In doing all the
| work themselves they have deprived
| others of employment and made it pos
sible for non-union men to take their
places when they are out on a strike.
BY not insisting on a 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-
celves 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 a
shorter workday it would be of inesti-
mable benefit to it's members And to
day could be shortened one-half. it
would be possible to employ twice as
many hands at at present without re-
ducing wages in the least. ssIpz fact. in
that case higher wages could be com m
lmanded, for nearly y h all q Workine1nen
strike should be ordered there would os,ll
not be enough non union men to take
their places. @ VI. %.= 2
The labor union is the workingman' s
| only salvation. If not organized, he
degenerates into a wage slave and IS
| compelled to work for bare subsist-
ence. He must take whatever his mas
ter gives him and be thankful that he
is enabled to live. But organization
places him on an entirely different foot
ing. AS member of labor union he
becomes the master of the situation.
and it's rests entirely with him as to
whether he will take advantage of his
opportunities.
The industrial problem has been
greatly complicated by the introduce
| tlon OF labor saving machinery. AS
for as the employees are concerned
the term labor saving machinery" is
| misnomer. In not a single instance
has it's Introduction resulted in short
ening the hours of toll. The only re-
suit so far has been to throw many
out Of employment and to reduce the
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 the
| profits.
simple illustration will elucidate
| this whole subject and help to- solve
the problem of labor saving machin-
cry.
Five men are employed in setting
type in a newspaper office. Each re-
ceives a salary of IS per day. But a
typesetting machine is introduced,
and one man is enabled to do the work
| of five. 1t becomes evident that four
| men will be thrown out of work, and
! fierce competition arises among the
five printers, each one Of whom is anx-
| ious to get the position. A says that
he has been getting So, per day and
| that he considers that his services are
worth that much. b says that he can
not afford to be idle, as he has wife
and several small children to support.
and that he will work for 81 per day
| rather than starve. C reasons in the
same way, and he offers to work for
$3.50 per day. y offers to work for 81 1.25.
| and E offers to work for $1OO. The
result is that e gets the position and
the others are thrown out of employ
| ment. Not having learned any other
trade and finding nothing else to do,
| they become tramps and menace to
society. It will be seen that the intro
duction of the labor saving machine
benefited no one but the proprietor
and worked a positive injury to every
body else.
Now the question arises, What is the
remedy? Is it possible to have labor
saving machinery without inflicting an
Injury upon any one? Such a. thing
is undoubtedly possible and is very
easily explained. The workingma,l
must own the machinery. Suppose
that the five printers: had owned the
typesetting machine. They could have
Ereasoned this way: Before we secured
| this labor saving machine each of nc