The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-11-21
Eiiot's Dressing Down.

The scathing arraignment of Presi-
dent Eliot of Harvard by the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor was well de-
served. Mr.. Eliot's foolinsh attack
upon trade unionism was certain to
react upon his own head. The
statements attributed to him and
which found such strong disfavor at
the New Orleans convention. show q
lamcntable ignorance of true condi-
tions. Among other things President
Eliot is charged with saying:
THE object of the unions seems to
be to work as few hours as possible
produce as little as possible during thu
time, and receive as much money as
possible for the service given"
Tho NEST complete annihilation o..
this statement appeared lately in the
editorial columns of the Cleveland
Press. The allegations contained
therein were taken up and disposed OF
in sequence, as follows:
/. The unions want to work as few
hours as possible.
That is untrue.
No labor union has ever made any
effort to reduce the hours of labor be-
low that OF eight hours. All sociolo.
gists agree that eight hours Of man
ual labor Is, or ought to be, sufficient
The government of the United States
has enacted eight hours as a standard.
All authorities agree that eight hours
for labor, eight hours for sleep and
eight hours for recreation and instruc
tion makes an ideal division Of time.
2. Union labor produces as little as
possible.
That is also untrue and mislead-
Ing
The American workman produces
more in given time than any other
workman in the world. The fact is
matter of common knowledge. The
superior skill and capacity of our art
isans, more than any other factor, has
given us the markets of the world.
The merest tyro in economics could
cnlighten President Eliot son this
point.
3. Union labor wants as much mon
ay as possible for its services.
Sure.
Can you blame it for that? Doesn't
capital want as large return as it can
get? Can you censure q man for get
ting as large a wage as he can COM
mand" Especially when his employer
is trying to get his services for the
least wages possible? 1t not labor free
to make its own contracts?
1t is too late in the worlds history
to fight unionism.
President Eliot reminds one of King
Canute, who tried to order back the
waves of the sea.
Unionism is an evolution of our in
dustral age. Conditions have formed
md fostered it. 1t is part Of the ma
chinery of the times. 1t has come to
stay.
Labor unions are far from perfect.
Few modern institutions are perfect
Some of the unions are too narrow in
their views and too selfish. They will
CVcTCOHle tHdl. OoHe VI tutilt nave
not always been honest. They have
not always kept their pledges. But
they are learning that honesty is the
best policy.
Above all the labor unions are The
American Workingmen's Schools, The
union labor hall is free forum. The
old time debating school has been
transferred to the lyceum Of labor.
No American need fear the outcome
of the free expression of opinion by
the intelligent and skilled laborers of
this country.
Unionism builds homes.
You need not fear the man who owns
his little home and pays taxes
The school board of Lorain has just
anpihiIntaI ono pf chiIdhnpdic p,pct