The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1902-09-04

Iospvc. Inem. IL is most reassuring
fact that the principal leaders of the
great labor organizations today are
men who have been chosen because of
their sound judgment, their wisdom
and their integrity of purpose. They
must reason with capital and know the
measure of the rights of both labor
and capital, and how to secure a just
recognition of the interest which they
represent. They must possess not
only the confidence of labor, but of
capital as well, if they would accom-
plish the best results.
That labor organizations have
done much to advance the cause of
labor there can be no doubt. They
cation, knowing full we'll that know
ledge is real power. They have estab-
lished newspapers throughout the
country. intelligently devoted to the
promotion of their interests. They
have founded benevolences and paid
millions of dollars to their member
bership. They have increased wages
where inadequate, and secured rea-
sonable hours of service. They have
abolished or modified conditions in
the sweat-shops of great cities which
were undermining the health and NOR
ais of the operatives. They have
stood against the abuses of child Ia
Dor. They have taught the necessity
of the observance of contracts, know
ing full well that contracts are found
ed in honor and are the basis of COM
mercial success. They have increased
and seek to maintain a higher morale
among their membership. They are
opposed to anarchy Anarchy has no
greater foe than they. They know
that labor's best interests are depend
ent upon the maintenance of orderly
and stable government.
There are more than $4,000 local
labor unions in the United States, with
a membership Of more than 100000.
What infinite good can be accomplish
ed by this mighty army of peace and
industry If held true to it's opportu-
nifty. Its success will depend upon
the character of its leadership, and
upon it's adherence to sound and ra-
tional principles. It must spurn those
who would prostitute it to the accom-
plishment of mere selfish purposes or
political party ends.
Arbitration.
Zone of the functions of organized
labor is to secure the recognition of its
rights by capital through pacific
means. War is destructive. and labor
wars are no exception to the rule. 1t
has seemed to me that through organ
lied labor the misunderstanding be-
tween labor and capital can be min
imized, turbulence and disorder large
ly avoided, and that stable conditions
may be maintained. The strike should
be the last appeal and resorted to only
when other means of securing proper
redress have failed. This is, indeed,
the fundamental theory upon which or
ganized labor is founded.
THE collisions between labor and
capital have been many, and they have
been destructive. During the last 20
years these strikes and lockouts in
volved a loss to employees of $306, $685.
223. and to employers of $142. 659, 1O4
Many millions more have been lost to
those who were not Immediately in
volved in the strikes, but who were
dependent upon the continuance of
That many of these strikes were nec-
essary there can be no doubt; that
some of them were unnecessary and
should have been avoided there is also
no doubt.
1--WE have wished that contests so
tremendous in their results could rea-
sonably have been avoided, and that
some rational and effective method
might have been devised for their set
Element The problem has been recog.
nized as a grave and difficult one. and
a satisfactory solution has been earn
estly desired. Arbitration has been
much discussed and sometimes invok-
ed by mutual consent, but the difficulty
of establishing an arbitral tribunal in
which both interests would have abso-
lutte confidence has been generally rec
ognized.
Compulsory arbitration has been
suggested, but it has found few advo-
Gates. It is not acceptable to either
interest. and wherever it has been at
tempted it has been abandoned except
In New Zealand. where the experiment
is not proving altogether satisfactory,
and has not accomplished all its au-
thors hoped. Compulsory arbitration
Is regarded as an unnecessary and
grievous limitation upon the freedom
Of both labor and capital. It reduces
labor to slavery and Is a menace to
capital. It is destructive Of free agen-
cy. The relations between these two
great forces are so delicate that they
are not to be governed by the rigid fiat
of either the congress or the legisla.
ture.
Labor Must BE Free.
I'VE want no slave labor. Two mil.
lion men with their blood wiped away
slave labor forever. We want no Ia
Dor, either black or white, In a virtual
state of serfdom. Labor must be free
with all the prerogatives which pertain
to freedom. It must be free to sell its