The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-24
ELIOT TALKS ON LABOR UNIONS
UtRvARD'S PRESIDENT on THE
CONDITION or WORkINGMEN.
He Discusses Humane Employ ment and the
Growth Of Labor lnions-The Good
Things They Have Done-(o.operaiion
Among NorkinEmcn-The Other Side.

Harvard University addressed the members
Of the Colonial Club of Cambridge last night
on Labor Unions from the Educators
Point of View To-day President Eliot
revised his speech and made 1t public.
He said
Il make no apology for speaking on an
unusual subject tonight, unusual mean
for me, because labor unions have been
TO all Of Us very interesting subject during
the last six months, and they are quite
sure 10 be more and more interesting as
time goes on. | want to speak OF labor
unions from the educators standpoint.
What is tina, standpoint? l belong 10
class of men who are employed under
humane conditions University teachers IN
general are employed under humane con-
ditions and in that calling i have been
both employed and employer indeed, l
combine those functions together ad-
nit, however at once that the point oi
view Of the ,aucat or il pee uliar one tie
il a man devoted to systematic education,
which means devotion to continuous
process intended to transmit the accumu-
Aud learning and experience OF former
generations to the rising generations as
they succeed one another, and. therefore.
TO process Of gradually uplifting the
human race. or that particular portion oil
the race to which he himself belongs.
1T IL natural. therefore, for one whose
profession il education 70 sympathihe
with another effort to uplift the race-to
make the lot Of the average mankind more
satisfying and happier.
-Tha, being the ult innate object OF edu-
cation its, II an educator nee ssarily sym
Iathizes with other broad efforts to pro-
duce the same result that he seeks. Among
IN. So eff orts must be counted the work Of
the labor Unions. They heartily believe
that heir work ENDS to uplift the laboring
classes They heartily believe that even
when they engage i'll industrial warfare
their object is to raise their class, though
al present sacrifice This belief is their
strength.
1T il, however, clear that education
is not the primary irstrumentality OF civil
lization. The primary instrumentality is
work-regular daily work. On that must
be founded all other Observation-Disclosures for
uplifting mankind. This clearly appears
in the history Of our race. No savage
people, 10 mad tribe. can be lifted into
civilization until it adopts as habit regu-
lar. daily, settled work.
The same is true with every individual
1t Is Of no use to try to teach children to
read and write if their parents belong to
the stone age. 1t is of no use TO try to edu-
cate the children Of a tribe which is nomadic.
without settlement. without homes. Edu-
cation, therefore, ia secondary inst rl
mentality, habitual labor coming first
Hence the importance Of humane condi-
tons of employment, of humane conditions
Of the daily labor by which the millions are
supported. the daily labor which forms the
groundwork Of the civilization of the
people,
And now. what are humane conditions of
employment That il a question on which
the experience Of university men sheds
some light Naturally enough. the con-
ditons of university employment are hui
name in all civilized nations Indeed /
believe them to be the most humane in the
world. Now ! am going 10 try TO state
what think to he the humane conditions
Of employment. basing my delneations on
my own experience OF university employ
ment
THE first Of those humane conditions
! conceive 10 be rising wage-that Ia, n
wage which gradually IL must not be
rapidly, increases with the laborers in
creased experience, attachments and age.
This condition means for the laborer hope,
expectancy. recognition Of merit and grad
TO me that this rising wage would be re-
garded as an essential condition OF salts
factory employment.
"The second universally described con-
dition is steady employment after ade-
0,iata probati ion. | have never seen any
hesitation on The part of young men in ac-
cepting a reasonable probation, and every
intelligent person wants steady work. Yet
that method of steady employment. after
adequate probation, can hardly be said To
exist in tho ordinary Industries OF the civil
lzed nations. Il implies dismissal for
cause. II also implies, on the part OF the
employer, perfect re- ldiness TO deal justly
AID fairly With complaints.
Il believe steady employment to be the
sound culri,iou for rationel human de-
veorment ia all walks Of life II l. the
steady lob which develops fine human
character, ard on IN" Their hand, splsmodic
employment is a very urfavoraple con-
dition for the development Of character
" may seem strange to you even TO mention
such "A reasonable opportunity for the
deve.opmcut Of character as steady work
among conditions of employment. We
cor Of lv are not accustomed 10 that view
Put Is rot, after all, the only rational
view of humane conditions 81 employment
A third humane condition of employ
ment ! hold To be encouragement for the
making Of n permanent home, That is
iust wha, the university conditions Ct EN-
permanent home means that the home
creator has opportunity to form local at
tachments, to evincc public spirit and to
win for himself local reputation among his
neighbors. These aids 10 the development
Of character and these sources of happi
ness the nomad workman loses completely
Therefore, wandering, unattached con-
dition for the laborer il always unhappy
and inexpcdent. whether We regard the
interests of the individual or the interests
Of society
Fourth among humane conditions oi
employment put the opportunity 10 serv,
generously and proudly the interest witt
which the laborer has been connected
Tia. is a high privilege for any human
being. Ii takes him out Of himself apC
gives him a happy motive for fidelity anC
zeal You observe that this opportunity
cannot he had unless employment is steady
and the home permanent This il a salts
faction which all university men win.
delightful part Of the university mans life
privilege to he accounted much hiohei
than large salary or any form Of nxu i)u,
living. IL il ore of the deep, permai q I
satisfactions of human life, and | shoulC
not call any 90 d'tioi- of employment
humane which made tha' satisfaction uu
attaina 10 by the humbles aborer.
The NH right ,oEdlton OF employ.
ment ia the pension on disability TIE
civil 'r Industrial pension was almost un
knt wn H. our country until within twenty
years, so far as know. 1t was first intro
duo,d as a systematic right by Harvard
VTnyar.uv lint IN Tho of no Ia