The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-08-08
SCHOOL TEACHERS.
FORMING UNIONS
A. r. OF L. ISSUES SEVERAL NEW
CHARTERS.
REPLIES TO
THREAT OF NEW UNION

Miller Affair is Giving Non union
Newspapers a Great Opportunity
to 6eIate on Union Labor.
washington, D. c., August 6.-(Na-
t1onal Labor Bureau.)-The American
Labor Union, the organ of the Amer
lean Labor Union, published in the
Rocky Mountain Section of the West,
announces with much satisfaction that
its members are absolved from purchs-
Ing union label shoes, probably because
the great American Federation of La
Dor has succeeded in bringing about
such state of affairs that if manu-
tacturer wants to sell shoes he must
have the label in them. This was a
part of the policy of the knights of La
Dor, an orga nization composed of large
numbers with small cohesiveness that
made some noise about 1886 and chiefly
distinguished itself by it's efforts to dis
migrate the legitimate trade unions.
Such organizations, invariably con-
trolled by few who are seeking their
own advancement only, always fight or
ganlzed labor with more zeal than they
do the real enemy, and the fate of the
real American Labor Union will be
that of the Knights Of Labor-destruc-
tion by it's own bad faith and treachery.
From Mr.. Frank Morrison. SECRETARY
Of the American Federation of Labor,
I oct fhn ho4
tors of the country are learning the
value of organization, and already
unions of school-teachers have been
formed in Indiana, Illinois, California,
and Texas, on practically the same lines
as those of mechanics and handicrafts-
men, with a view to more remunerative
compensation, better facilities, and i'm
proved conditions generally. This is in
deed conversion from the ranks of the
opposition, for by none in the past has
the criminality Of workingmen organ
lzlng for their own advantage been
more generally condemned than by
those who have devoted their lives to
the profession Of teaching-and I speak
now not of college professors of the
President Eliot stamp, but the under
strata, whom a policy of non-organi-
zation has kept working for $40 to $50
a. month where union. mechanics have
zbeenssr receiving nearly that ts i much per
rsssin.E the ranks organized labor
will mean more than the mere addition
Of their numbers, for 1t often takes
years. Of effort to eradicate the seeds of
scabbery sown in the impressionable
soil of youth by mistaken enemies, and
union teachers will teach a love of
unionism with ten times the enthus-
iasm they taught a horror of it in the
days of their own ignorance.
Newly organized union men often per-
nit their zeal to outrun their discre-
tion and too frequently the ink is not
dry on their charter nor half their fe1-
low artisans enrolled and obligated be-
fore they vote to strike, with the not
infrequent outcome that they fail and
go back to work with greatly dimin-
ished ardor for unionism. What have
we got union for if we don't striker"
they cry, not realizing that true un-
ionism needs years of education until
the unionist permits nothing to take
precedence Of his union in controlling
his actions. President Gompers recent
of newly formed union which had
.ly received letter from the secretary
gone on strike without the advice or
consent of the parent body, making de-
mand that another organization should
strike with them or they would scab
them out, to which he made response
in part as follows:
If your use of foul epithets
and your veracity are on par with
your declaration of one of your pur-
poses they must be at allow mark. You
say that unless a certain thing is done
moulders," A writer has said
that zone who is scab in his trade
would prove traitor to his country
and is an enemy of mankind." Do you
mean to tell me that the members of
your union feel inclined to occupy such
a position? That may satisfy your mo-
tion of it but I hope and believe not
theirs. In fact, I have still some hope
that after you come to your sober SEN
ses you yourself will repudiate that
you had any such thing in your mind.
AS far as your threat is concerned
that you will do all. in your power to
''have the boys give you (me) the
worst Of it, I take that to mean that
you will do all in your power to Sc
cure my retirement from the position
of president of the American Fedora
tion of Labor. Let me say to you that
this is the privilege of every union
member whether he is conscientious,
honest, or straightforward, or whether
he be weakling, a common scold, a Ii
beler, or one who threatens that he will
become a scab. Let me add that even
though in the future might not oc-
>cupy the position of president of the
American Federation of Labor I shall
still have the distinguished honor OF
being union man, with all that it
/ implies. :.z
/ You will read this letter to union No
- at its next regular meeting for ]
have taken such a course that if you
~.