Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-24

u Glil'iCS iflSIt ifiSii
tory and Improbable to them.
And now a word as to the incorpora-
ton of labor organizations. The argu-
ment advanced by the attorneys fol
such employees as clamor for incorpor-
alton of labor organizations is that the
unions should be obliged to incorporate
and thus assume responsibility. Cap
.ital incorporates for the purpose OF
evading or limiting responsibility; and
the attorneys of capital say that labor
unions should incorporate for the pur-
pose of taking on that which capital
Incorporates for the purpose of laying
off.
1t is urged that a labor union should
be held responsible for losses which
might occur to others. as d result of a
strike which the members of the union
might inaugurate. Let us see. An in
dustry is established at a point which
snecessitates building up a settlement
or town around the works. In the ourse
of years many of the employees have
purchased homes there with their say
ings. Others come in and establish
themselves in trades, dependent of
course, upon the patronage of the en-
ployes of the industry which has made
the town. Now comes the merger, or
trust, which has gained control of the
industries of that nature, and buys this
particular factory or mill and decides
that its efforts to control the commod-
ity demands that the establishments
shall be closed indefinitely. The en-
ploye's Income is cut off en-
tirely. His home Is of doubtful
value, because he can neither
sell O rent it unless the fac
tory or mill is operated. He must go
elsewhere for employment. The trades
mans business is gone and he too must
sacrifice much or all. No one thinks
of holding the corporation legally liable
cised its right to operate its property
or close it down as it chooses.
On the other hand: The employees of
that same industry believe that there
are questions affecting their wages and
their employer fail to adjust them,
and, perhaps, refuse to even talk with
them about adjustment. The employees
agree among themselves that they will
retire from the service in concert. They
do SO; n the industry, of necessity,
stops. The employer may not be able
to get other employees and the revenues
from operation are cut off from 10Th
employer and employee. Others who de-
pend upon the output of that industry
are Inconvenience and suffer loss. Will
any one say that an Incorporated labor
union TO which those men belonged
would be legally liable for those losses /?
Would the annlnraS ,,nt fh,,.1 1.,1.
cised their simple right to work or re-
fraln from working as they choose?
1t Is contended that violations of law
are committed IN connection with
strikes. Unfortunately, that is true;
but 1T a labor union weresincorporated
could it be legally or reasonably held
responsible for other than Incorporated
acts; that is. acts OF, or authorized by
the officers or directors of the corpora
tlon? If any man. member of a labor
union or capitalist or vandal, commits
a criminal act, he alone should be held
responsible for it unless che is in con-
spifacy with others to perform unlaw-
ful acts, when, of course, all partici-
pants should be held responsible, An
incorporated labor union could be. and
should be held responsible for the acts
of its chosen officers and agents, and
the members OF the union would have
to see that no unlawful act was author
lied.
There Is no consistency in demanding
labor unions should incorporate
under laws especially constructed and
intended for corporations of capital. If
1t Is desired that labor unions shall in
co forate, it is incumbent upon the
legislators to provide the foundation
enacting healthy, reasonable and
fair laws under which such orpora-
tons can be formed. with full knowl-
edge and clear understanding of the
assumed, and the exemptions
enjoyed hereunder. The liabilities Of
incorporated labor union, and of its
as such, should be substan-
TALLY the same relatively as those i'm
posed, for pecuniary profit, upon the
corporation and its stockholders. The
exemptions guaranteed to the individ-
ual members of the Incorporated union
should be as liberal as those extended
to the individual stakeholder of the
corporation of capital. Labor unions,
as such. do not wish to avoid RESPONSE
which properly belong to them:
they will hardly incorporate under
existing laws for the purpose of taking
responsibilities which they should
not be expected to bear.