The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-11
UNIONS ARE TOO AUTOCRATIC.
DEMOCRACY WHAT THEY NEED.
SAYS LYMAN ABBOTT.
f There Isn't . Law to Keep Them From
@ busting q Miitiaman. There should
he One-A scab No Hero. but lie Has
Right 10 NOrk-speech at Columbia.

Before an audience that crowded Earl
Hall at Columbia University last night
DIR. Lyman Abbott spoke al length on
'Our Industr rial Problem He attacked
present conditions, disagreed with Presi-
dent Eliot OF Harvard on the labor quest ion,
volunteered advice to Gov. Odell and
praised the Pennsylvania Railroad. DR..
Abbott expressed an opinion that there lie
movement toward the dissolution OF
social formations in the United States and
tendency toward a socialistic basis OF
procedure. A. a preface to his remarks
he sand
Herbert Spencer said in recent letter
that there WIS a movement toward social-
ism In tic United States and tendency
toward tie dissolution OF social instuutlons
and tat bloodsh'd would probably result
10 bring about q military d,si oti,in With
the last conclusion am unrreIared to agree.
mat viii depend upon IT.. virtue oil the Amtri-
CHn u'Oplr
Our Tendencies are from the individuals 'ic
to the soCali~tic We must have con bna-
tion~ of capital TODAY, but We need the or
canization of labor as well We still hear
h. gg"iiion; shall Labor be organn eti.t
without such organization ] do not know
whether Their" wa~ a Garden Of Eden. PIT l
do know that TO 40 back 10 Adam would be
going back ward. not forward.
TIE real question before us to-day is
s all labor be- automatically or democratic
cally orrauized? Shall thousands Of work,
men take what the master prescribes AID
hot have u voice in the decision as 10 the
hours of labor tie wages and It's cohditiohsf
Has not labor a head and arms and legs
when dor ~ ion demands recogrit ion
II may desire a brief display OF aut hority. but
gt bottom i It's declar ion OF rig TO speak
In IL own behalf ] believe t'at tie demand
Of la Dor is rig t. Labor organizations must
be demoCratic-not autOcratic.
Dr. Abbott then READ extracts from the
constitution of the United Mine Workers
National Union, and went on:
TIE hcct OF TIE great labor orcnni2at Ion
l. TO say itself what stall be Its hours ol labor
the conditions and the wages. The ph'pom-
cnon OF trades unions l. no, 70 be- measured
by an unrea souahlr 'mand OF on" OF them
There are dangers IN Cr"Ht comhinntldfls OF
wealth and there are dangers In great COM
hinations of labor.
" a, We want is 10 ret rid OF the abuse Of
ROVER and g." iuoompctent use OF rover
wL'n II gets into o." land OF the dcina gocue.
Because there arc bosses md d"ma gorues H.
''oliticS We do not rropos" TO abolish Political
organizations. but rather TO rid them OF bosses
and 90 ''|l CoCu"S.
Governor can call u ont. rp ~ schenectady
in 'h, St1t" labor organization aid 10 2
,Iti1"n, You ,hall not earn, your daily bread
b""au." you DO what tho law OF the Stat",
.ay, Won may do" Tho Attorney General
sov~ there /; no law which has been in
KIN ' on oHo "GT Of law Bn, have 10
political ambition possibly he has The
Governor ought To Tell the District Attorney
70 Du' THO labor union men on Trial or 10 tell
n" Legs azure thrt law j. n""ded 10 cover
their o""n"" Il j. sham" thnt a mliii1-
nan should b" driven from the rank. OF lat or
because he ha~ been loyal 10 his state.
cannot agree with my fellow citizen who
calls scah n hero. II" i not a hero, but be
has "A legal right to do what J." dos All The
powers OF ia" state should b" called az any
hazard and Il any cost To protect any single
man IN his d,sIre 70 work, whether he II u
union mNn or not and whether Their" Is u strike
IN progress or not
n | % con mot. n