The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-15

du AOlluS lliSiAl VI
uel Warrens Famous Story;
my Favorite Book Shelf,
by Charles Josselyn-Literary
Gossip Of the Day.
ORGANIZED LABOR; IT'S PROBLEMS.
PURPOSES AND IDEALS. AND THE
PRESENT AND FUTURE OF AMER
hcAN WAGE FARMERS. Written
by John Mitchell. Published by The
American Book and Bible House, Phli-
adelphia-
Mr., John Mitchell, who Is easily the
tader OF the organized labor forces OF
to.day. and a man for whom the whole
country has respect, because he Is nom
nst, has written a very entertaining pook
on the subject OF organized labor. me
book contains much interesting histori-
cal matter, and traces tho history OF the
aabor movement in England and tne
United States from the earnest Gays ~
the present. 1t deals frankly with the
labor problem, and Mr.. Mitchell does
not hesitate to say that the conditions
of American laborers to-day is Won
drously improved over that OF the laooreT
Of other days.
In the 81 chapters OF the book, he treats
under separate headings the "rhiiosopny
o, trade unionism," labor ORGANIZED,
..modern trade unlonisn In Great Bril-
tain" labor in the American colonies
..organized labor before the Civil war,
"the American trade unions Of to-day.
,.orxanized labor vs.. unorganized labor.
"the beneficial features Of trade unions.
"the American standard Of wages" tine
coral uplift Of the workman" the pro
blen Of the unskilled, organized iapor
and organized capital" "the labor union
and the trusts" the labor union anu anu
politics,'' "the labor union, the state ana
the law" 1.-THE Incorporation OF labor
) unions" 1.-THE proper conduct Of strike"
.arbitration and the boycott" and so on
and so on, concluding with narrative
Of the famous coal strike of 1902.
Mr.. Mitchell is not opposed to the or
eanization of employers against the or.
gaplzation of labor, and thinks that II
properly conducted such organizations
viii be of benefit to labor. Nor Is he OPP
poeed on principle to the so-called trust
He saws that the trust has come to stay
and that It cannot be legistlatcd out Of
existence, He agrees that the trusts
have made mistakes In overcapitaliza-
tion, and that some OF them have abused
their privileges. but he thinks that errors
will finally be weeded out. and that tne
trust will be Of benefit IN reducing tns s
oost of production, as 1t will be prevented
Nv the fear of competition from eXtortion
in its selling price.
one OF the most intcrestig chapters Is
that on 1.-THE Problem Of the Unskllled'
or this point he presents some novel
views. He speaks of the vast army OF
men who are half supported by charlty,
and who work at lower wage scale than
that fixed by labor organization, as DIS
of tha hOdv nOHt1C, he
saws that the progress of trade unionsm
menas the comparative lessening OF this
group. and the more obvious recognition
Of the fact that 1t consists of "incapa-
tles." He says that trade unionism must
continue to lift up this great submerged
mass slowly and by degrees, and that the
remainder must be cared for BY the estate.
In other words. he thinks that tne tilne
will come when all capable m en- Will be IN
ccrporated in the labor unions. and that
The ..inca pa les' will be treated as a
pauper class and supported at the public
expense, so that they may not come IN
competition with members OF the union
That Is. indeed. startling proposition
the like of which We have never before
heard from any man.
But Mr.. Mitchell is nothing II not original
and his bookAis unique. 1t Is pre-emi
nently the most interesting and the mos
Commemorative book that has been writer
ty labor leader on this subject. so fa
nc wa have seen. and 1t will doubtless
have a wide circulation. While we can
not agree with him In many OF the pro
positions he lays down. We cannot but az
miYe his frankness, and 1t must also D.
admitted that he makes a strong case 70
organized labor. to winch ne is 30 SIN
cerely devoted.
The book contains 400 pages, Including
full page illustrations OF men who are TO
day occupying conspicuous places in tn
various labor organizations.
KATHARINE FRENsHAM. by Boa
trice Ha rraden Dodd. Mead ana Con,
pany. publishers Through tho BE
Book and Stationery Company. Q
Richmond. Price sl.bo,
The hrst OF Miss Harra denis book
which brought her into large and lmmf
diate notice was called "Ships That Pas
In the Night"
Her latest publication, katharine Frer
sham." l. more akin In motif to :shlr
That Pass In the Night" than any OF Mis-
Harraden's intermediate productions, FL
the story IL a story OF a womans III
and helpfulness in the benehcent infiuent
upon the lives OF those around her
"ships That Pass in the Night VIZ
20 Intensely pathetic that It was like
cry OF pain. katharine Frensham'
different In that us last chapter uea
with the union OF happy hearts and u
rounding out OF several lives In the lig
OF perfect and entire understanding al
sympathetic accord.
The scene of the book deals partly wi
England and partly with Norway. o.
of the finest of the book characters, FIR
ken Knudsgaard. called for short KIM
ty," is the Danish governess In the Thor
ton family, who seems more Norweg
than Danish in her nature. The beautii
simplicity Of life In Norway. where t
spjrit of communal loving kindness ST
survives, and much NJ primal nearness
nature is shown in the continuance
ancient customs the beliefs in ancie
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