The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-11-11
ELIOT SCORES LABOR UNIONS
MODERN "SCAR,, A GOOD TYPE
OF AMERICAN HERO.
Harvard President Declares That the
Prime Object of the union seems to be
TO Work as Few Hours MS Possible.
Receive as Much as Possible for the
Service Given.

Boston, Nov. lot was to the great
surprise of the members of the Econom-
| ic club of Boston at their banquet to-
night to hear President Eliot of Har-
ward denounce the labor unions of the
country as opposed to the edticat ton of
young men, and what he termed Their
fight against the development Of manly
| instincts" In closing he characterized
| the strike breaker or ''scab" as he call
ed him, as "a good type Of, the Ameri-
! can hero"
| The Economic club was formed for the
! purpose Of discussing current topics.
The subject tonight was Industrial
Battle and the Public"
The speakers We're John A. Hobson
| the English political economist; Frank
| K. Foster of the American Federation
of Labor; George E. McNeill, Hon.
Charles Francis Adams, Professor
Frank Parson, president of the Nation
al Public Ownership league; Samuel
Cabot and E. HI. Clement Of the Boston
Transcript. Osborne Howes- and Conrad
Reno. - .s.--
President Eliot had not promised to
speak but he was brought to his feet by
discussion of the subject by previous
speakers He said present conditions
indicated that many years must pass
before the labor question is satisfacto-
rily solved. Both sides must make con-
| cessions and adopt some plan-as for
| instance, that in vogue in the great ed
ucational institutions of the country,
where the professors are engaged on
trial, then on probation and finally
when they have proven, themselves
competent and trustworthy, retained
| for life, or as long as they are able to
perform their duties. In case of dis
ability, they are pensioned. This plan.
however he said, is not feasible at the
present time because both the employ
ers and the labor unions We're in way
| human.
! The principal objection to the labor
unions, from the educators point of
view, he said, was their objection to
young men becoming competent me-
| chanics. That they do prevent this is
evident from the fact that all unions
attempt to limit the number Of appren-
| tees employed in any industry. The
right to labor is considered the most
sacred right of the American citizen.
! President Eliots objection to the la
| Dor unions was, he said, that the prime
object of the union seemed to be to work
as few hours as possible, produce as lit
| tie as possible during that time, and to
receive as much money as possible for
the service given. This attitude was
| in effect nothing more than a constant
| fight against the development of many
| instincts. He said he had profound
contempt for any man who did not
choose to labor every day just as long
as his strength would permit.
| He protested against violent measures
| by strikers to prevent non-union men
| filling the vacant places. For the skill
ed mechanics banded together, the very
fact that they possessed the skill was a
sufficient weapon. With the unskilled
workers-while the conditions are diff
ferent, there is nothing to justify the
union of violence.
| Presiden. Eliot said in closing that
his opinion now is the same as given
years ago in the contribution to jour-
nal and it is that the modern "scab"
is a good type of the American hero.