New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-21
THE GREATER STATE.


The American Federation Of Labor has de-
cided to supersede the United States govern
ment. but it is extremely courteous and concilia-
/ tory about it. 1t does not wish to hurt the
feelings of anybody who loves the old order. 1t
will let the Constitution remain 4 superfuous
relic OF a bygOne age. Like the Roman en-
perOrs in assuming supreme power, it is willing
TO leave in operation the empty forms of our
institutions 1t carefully avoids anything like
insult to the President. Nevertheless it i'm
pressively asserts its paramount authority, and
with the calm unobtrusiveness which marks
mastery announces that this is to be govern
ment Of the labor unions, by the labor unions,
for the labor unions. Other people are of no
consequence. The Constitution and the laws
which give other men the same rights in their
relations with public authority as labor union
lists are Of no consequence. The American Fed
Grafton Of Labor is the sovereign and obedience
TO its regulations a more binding obligation than
regard for the laws of the United States.
No other Interpretation can be put upon the
condemnation Of the ''Open shop" in government
work. This condemnation was passed after
long discussion, full explanation by conserva-
tive members of the federation of the essential
difference between government and private en-
ployment, and with clear understanding that
the demand was in direct antagonism of the
fundamental American principle Of equality be-
fore the law. 1t can mean nothing, then, but
that the American Federation of Labor refuses
to give its allegiance to the United States; that
1t is an Independent sovereign, privileged to
make its own supreme laws for the conduct Of
its members. That is an attitude which has
before now been observed in groups of labor
unionists. They show it when they make war
upon the National Guard or apologize for strike
riots. They show il in the tendency to treat a
class, or rather that part of a class organized
in their membership, as the whole people. Guilt
waiting class feelings and attempting arbitrarily
to impose their will upon others having only
the remotest relation TO them by boycOtts and
sympathetic strikes they try to erect what is
not a mere empire within the empire, but an
empire above the empire. Yet we have not
before seen a great labor organization like the
assembled American Federation Of Labor de-
liberately putting itself on record for the sub
version Of the fundamental principle Of the
American nation.
The "open shop is fundamental. The private
employer can say that man may work for
him who does not belong to a labor union. He
could also say that he would employ only
Methodists or Swedes or red haired people.
That is his affair. The government of the
United States is bound TO recognize the equal
rights Of MethOdists and Roman Catholics,
Swedes and Irishmen, blondes and brunettes,
American Federation OF Labor men and "scabs.'
The 'scab' may be mean sort of person, I'M
willing TO sacrifice himself for his class, but
less the class is really the State, and has. like
the State the right TO demand that its members
sacrifice life for il and to punish traitors with
death, then the 'scab" has a right to live and
work. The private employer can hire whom he
chooses, and If he wants to exclude the "scab"
he has the privilege. But the State in which
the 'scab' is a citizen has not, and even if it
had il could not afford to act upon it at the de-
mand Of private organization. That would be
making itself the puppet of the private organ
iZatiOn, abdicating its functions and handing
over 10 the labor union the government of the
country. President Roosevelt naturally will
not do that He has shown great. and indeed
( in some quarters greatly criticised, friendship
for the labor unionists. but because he will not
let them usurp the functions OF government
and exclude their private enemies from the
rights of citizenship labor union meetings are
filed with denunciations Of him, and the Fed
Grafton OF Labor declares that no laborers with
out its label may work for the United States,
Surely State greater than the Union has come
upon the scenei