Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-11-21
LABOR'S LEADERS.
OFFICIAL HEADS OF UNIONS AND
WALKING DELEGATES.

The gentleman who has occasioned
the enemies Of trades unions incalcu-
liable annoyance and anguish Is the
walking delegate. All the world has
heard of him, and Il small part Of it
has met him. The funny papers and
some papers that are not so funny pic
ture the walking delegate as coarse
featured, overdressed fellow who
wears big diamond in u pink shirt,
smokes big black cigars and rides in
a haughtymobile. According to these
chroniclers, the sole business of the
walking delegate is to stir up trouble
between employer and employee and
TO live ON the fat of the land at the
expense of his dupes. With a swagger
he approaches gang of workmen,
pushes his hat back on his head. ex-
pectorates half a pint of tobacco juice,
makes u half circle sweep with big
red hand and shouts: Cit out O. this,
youse fellows. This job is struck"
The picture is overdrawn, say you?
Well, the one | present Isn't original.
It's a copy after the Sir Joshuas Of
capitalist pressdom.
Now let me tell you the sober truth
about the walking delegate, or the
business agent, as his proper title Is.
Gle was nicknamed the walking dele
gate because he has slight allowances
for car fare and has to walk many
miles In the performance of his duties
Notwithstanding the "haughtymobile'
story)
The business agent is an official Of
building trades organizations, | may
say, almost exclusively. These trades,
especially in the large cities, found
him a necessity. Their men are scat
tered over a large territory, and there
are so many of them that it is impos-
sible to get them all out to all of the
meetings of the union. So the bust
ness agent goes around from job to
Job, collects dues and assessments,
serves notices and performs other du-
ties assigned to him under the consti-
tuition of his union. His hours of
work are generally from two to six
more each day than those of the men
working at the trade. He must be in
telligent, thoroughly Informed on craft
matters and courteous. He must be
honest and temperate, for he handles
a great deal of money, and his respon
sible duties call for clear head all the
time And this man receives from his
mil " 70 u.D
paid In the trade. And the union is not
an easy boss Q should say bosses).
One serious misstep and the unlucky
walking delegate Is called up before
court that deals out even and exact
justice, which Is full of mercy and
compassion for an erring or unfortu
nate brother, but weighs the officials
acts without sugaring the scales
But how about the strikes ordered by
the walking delegate? He orders them
Just about as the clerk of the house of
representatives passes a bill-he an
nounces the result of ballot. The Off
cial boards of trades unions rarely Or
der strikes, walking delegates never.
1t Is generally the rule for the mem
bers of the union (and sometimes those
members only who are directly con-
cerned) to vote upon motion to call
strike, and in most unions two-thirds
vote is necessary to carry. course
once decided upon, the officials of the
organization become its executive rep
resentatives, and in this connection the
walking delegate has certain duties to
perform.
No man makes greater sacrifices for
the cause to which he is pledged than
the walking delegate. His labors are
not only arduous and unceaslng but in
many cases he is blacklisted by en-
ployers, and when he is supplanted for
any reason by another member of his
union he must go among strangers to
secure employment and often Is COM
PEELED to abandon his trade and go into
anything that offers him work. He Is
one Of the most thoroughly misrepre-
sented and unjustly treated men, and
recognition of his worth and services
to humanity will come, as it generally
has come to those who have occupied
the dangerous positions in every war
for the elevation of mankind, long aft
er the mortal casket of his brave and
loyal soul has returned to dust.
To some extent what l have written
of the walking delegate may also be
said of those in higher official positions
in the labor unions. But it is only fair
to the more liberal spirit of recent
years to say that the labor leader is
not now universally condemned and
slandered as he was a few years ago.
There was a time not long ago when
to be the spokesman or leader of u
trade union was to be ostraciZed So
cially by all but the unionists The
officials of labor organizations were
misrepresented and prosecuted. The
father of lies never found so much
work for his offspring as in that period
covered by the fifteen years immedi-
ately subsequent to 1880, when the la
| Dor movement In America was strug-
Cling against as great odds as ever
confronted any crusade in the cause Of
ms Il te fhof tod