The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-05-16


country Whatever improvement such
an organization would gain would
prove to be emprary and would
be an invitation to. the unor-
ganized to migrate to that par
ticular locality, resulting in introduce
ing conditions fully as deplorable as
those existing before local organiza-
ton. The most important that any
organized body of workers Of any par
ticular craft in locality favor by fair
wages and reasonable conditions enjoy
is the organized strength Of their craft
in all localities where the particular
industry that employs their labor is
carried on. There is no lesson more
apparent to the student of trades
unions than the absolute necessity OF
general organization for the protection
Of workmen in any and all localities.
The problem confronting us to-day is
not local but national organization,
and it is essential in order that work.
ingmen in any locality permanently
m Aintain fair wages, fair hours and
fair conditions that their national Or
ganization embraces sufficient work.
-.ers in the craft to prescribe the labor
conditions that shall prevail, This
means two o-thirds, or at'the= very low
sanez Of 8 en-
,ployes III any industry, and unit ils this
degree of organization is reached, the
favored locality must be the Mecca
that draws the unorganized with the
inevitable result of congregating a vast
surplus of unOrganiZed help with all
it's attendant evils. u The unorganized
embraces the man who, realizing the
benefits trades unions gain for others,
does not feel the necessity of it in his
case. 1t embraces the man who will
not affiliate until forced to, for he is
ignorantly prejudiced against trades
unions in any form, and will not in
telligently consider them while men,
bership entails weekly dues. There is
in addition to these two types the man
totally Indifferent. uninterested, and a
large number who at different times
have been unfair towards organized
labor.
These distinct types of the unorga-
nized must all be unionized. The
Wiseacre, the ignorant, the Indifferent,
the knocker, the man who feels a mil
lion ants crawling up his shad roe
spinal column every time he hears the
words trades unions mentioned; the
traitorous and unfair must all be or
ganized before a trade union can gain
that degree of organization that will
give it sufficient power and influence
to alleviate existing industrial evils. A
man can learn best how to make shoes
in factory where shoes are made, so
can he be taught best the spirit, OBJ
jects and value of trades unions in
trades unions. Get the unorganized of
your trade where they can be educat-
ed to the value of your union and the
greatest obstracle to organization will
be removed.
The general intelligence of any
trades union is strongly organized, and
there is absolutely no reason to fear
that the weakness, faults or influence
of any Individual member can serious
ly menace the interests of any welre-
gulated and properly conducted trades
union. There is seldom any objection
to accepting into membership an ap-
plicant, qualified as a workman to hold
his position, excepting the traitorous
or unfair. Yet an intelligent view of
the necessities of organization must
impress upon the mind the advisable
lity Of getting this class that exists in
to every trade into the fold of trades
unions, where they can best be con-
trolled.
There are very few crimes in the an
nails of criminology that merit per-
petual punishment. All organizations,
whether social, religious, secret, COM
mercial, labor or the great organiza-
tton Of society seek to protect their IN
terests and punish the individual for
any infraction of those interests, but
perpetual banishment is the arbitra-
ry exercise of power and in only the
few cases has it any justification.
The preservation of discripline is as
essential to the proper conduct of the
affairs of trades union as any other
organization, and for this reason any
offense against it should be punished,
but the penalty should always fit the
crime.
The fact that an applicant, whose
former attitude was offensive. towards
organized labor seeks membership, Is
proof that he has learned the error Of
his ways or anyway appreciates the
necessity Of becoming q trade <unionfst;
Certainly the 4 Of ffense does not merit
the most drastic form sof punt shnlent
!; that 81 ganized ia aborS can Impose: These
/ I, 5appI aftt ter f,eins cepted| Into
mem :zzn1iennh5ershi hip srsadl HlbrpuEh
.~4