Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-14

INTELLIGENT LEADERSHIP REQUIRED.
In the struggle between organized
labor and organized capital the chief re-
quirement Of labor is intelligent and
conservative leadership. Success of the
| efforts Of w%Orkingmen in trades unions
to improve their condition depends very
greatly upon the wisdom and sound
| judgment of the men in control. IL
these yield to the prompting Of passion
rather than the dictate of reason, IL
they are disposed to be rash and reck-
less rather than careful and conserva-
tive, they are certain to in some way
discredlt their cause and fail to obtain
that public sympathy and support which
is essential to the success Of labor.
The mistakes and the failures of or
ganized labor have been due chiefly to
bad leadership-to a lack on the part Of
those in control Of intelligence, sagacity
and prudence. In the main the action
Of labor unions is determined by lead
ers and IL these be men wanting in
sound judgment and common sense,
who can be swayed by prejudice
and passion and will yield to I'M
reasoning clamor, they will in most
cases lead their organizations to defeat.
The most successful trades unions in
this country are those which have been
most careful in the selection Of their
leaders, choosing men of intelligence,
judgment md integrity. 1t has been
we'll remarked that men At to lead or to
guide would, in making demands for
higher wages or shorter hours, give due
consideration to the conditions of the
employment and the interests of en-
ployers, and would seek the fullest I'M
derstandlng of a business in which they
claim that labor should be treated as a
partner and not as n servant. They
would seek for a mutual understanding
and a fair regard for mutual rights and
interests, recognizing that capital has
it's rights as we'll as labor. They would
strive to strengthen the unions by dem
onstrating their benefit in improving
the condition of workmen and putting
them on more favorable terms with en-
ployers. They would discountenance at
tacks upon person or property, violation
of law or public order. or any defiance
or resistance of constituted authority.
A writer on this subject who contends
that there is ample Justification for the
organization of labor in the need Of eff.
fective means of promoting and defend.
ing the interests of workingmen, for
capital gains power by organization, oh.
serves that the evils of labor unionism
which hinder its progress and intensity
antagonism between labor and capital
are due to bad leadership and can only
be cured by its improvement. That car
only come, he urges, through a more in.
telligent and independent spirit among
those who constitute the membership
"As with so many other defects in the
social and political system the remedy
is to be sought by an unremitting cam
paign of education, working through
discussion and experience, and in this
all classes In the community must tax,
part. Employers and employed, pro
ducers and consumers, must make com
mon cause for more enlightenment an
a better understanding" Labor unions
generally are perhaps more careful nov
than at an earlier period in selectin,
their leaders, but undoubtedly as I,
many Of them improvement is possible