The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-05-01
PARRY ON
ORGANIZED
LABOR
His Wholesale DenuneiatiOn
Wrong
The Unions Must Avoid
Certain Errors

The address recently delivered w
I Mr. Parry. president Of the Manufac.
turers Association, in which he de.
nounced the methods Of organized Ia
Dor. has been generally condemned
as too sweeping and intemperate.
No doubt some of the instances Of
an arbitrary use Of power to which he
alluded we're exasperating enough to
deserve rebukc; the teamsters' union
of Chicago. which came in for special
mention. and which has figured large
ly in the labor troubles OF Chicago OF
late. seems to have assumed in some
instances an authority which does not
properly belong TO any organization.
Mr.. Parry's mistake was in his
Wholesale denunciatlon OF organized
labor. and particularly in his sneer
az all efforts toward concilliation and
arbitration The organization OF la.
Dor Is as permanent a fact in modern
industry as the organization OF capi.
tai. and Il would be as sensible 10
break out In wholesale denunciation
OF corporations as OF unions. Crlt.
cism OF organized labor should be di. |
rected at specific faults and errors |
with a view 20 their correction by the |
unions themselves. There should be |
an appeal on such points to the com. /
mon sense and good Judgment OF the
wage oarners. who are at least in.
terested In the success Of their ON.
ployers and the prosperity Of The
country.
The wage-earners of the country
have too much sense not TO know that
they must not kin the goose that is
laying the golden eggs and that their
must be conducted up
on lines that do not conflict with the
inclienable rights OF individuals
Thus the regulation OF apprentice Ia
Dor clearly must not be carried to
such lengths as to amount to de
priyatlon Of the right TO learn a trade
a narrow policy Of this sort, prompted
by selfish desire TO restrict the
number Of wage-earners In a given
trade. ought not to be supported by
allied trades. II the door OF one voca.
tion may be closed. the door of all
may be closed, and that amounts TO a
denial OF the right 30 earn a liveli-
hood No body of men is competent
TO close the door OF any trade or call /
Ing against others who desire to en-.
ter H.
The sympathetic strike and boy i
colt has involved organized labor in
more unfayorable criticism than any
other exercise OF power. and Is a
weapon TO be used only with the
greatest caution. II means the ex-
tension OF quarrel TO include outside
parties and perhaps parties having
no responsibility In the original dis
pute and no power to settle IT, In.
dustrial society should not be sub
iect to disturbances OF this kind.
There can bo no peace or security
when any man Is liable TO be called
from work or have his business inter.
rupted by being forced into dispute
10 which he is not a party and which
he has no power 10 terminate
Finally, the source OF most of the
errors OF organized labor in the past
has been in the mistaken idea that
here is not quite work enough 20 go
around and that the wage Garner is
best served by making the amount OF
work go as far as possible The more
thoughtful members know better than
his, but the belief is persistent and
'ften hnds expression. In truth. all
he substantial progress that comes
o the wage-earner and TO the million
workers OF society comes by the in
'reasing effectiveness OF labor. due G
o higher Intelligence. more efficient a
and greater use of CAPT
al and machinery. The efforts OF or y
anized labor should constantly be o
o reach higher standard OF produc-
lveness, II they strive along this
me they are In harmony with the
rogress and natural order OF society
nd all mankind are tha hapa6.is,.t..s