The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-09
UniOnism's Danger,


The strength Of labor unionsm is in
the vast number included in its various
organizations and In certain fundamen-
tai principles which seem to be imper-
fectly understood by some Of its adj
herents Its weakness is in its lack Of
! cohesiveness and in the incompetence
of many of it's leaders.
The aims Of unionism are a mutual
helpfulness, Of which the public hears
little and sees less, and common de-
mand for that which it enormously terms
its rights, in the form of larger share
of the results to which labor contributes,
namely, business profits. In its demands
and in the methods employed to enforce
them it manifests in majority of cases
precisely the same spirit which it 80
vigorously condemns when displayed
by those whom it calls enemies The
greed of the employer and the greed
of the employee are identical In their
nature. Neither group is 30 white that
it is justified in calling the other black.
But numbers may be either source
Of strength or the cause of weakness.
Where there Is lack of discipline and an
absence of we'll defined ends toward
which all are working in harmony. the
greater the number nominally asso-
ciated the greater the certainty of con-
fiot Of opinion in regard to methods
and policies. Confusion leads to dis
Indignation. This Is the danger which
threatens unionism in this country to-
day, and it has found illustration in some
of the more notable recent labor dis
turbances.
The garment makers strike, foolish
affair in its beginning, collapsed on &C
count of the absence of any adequate
cause, and from lack of steadfast purpose
on the part of those who participated in
it. Failure came Notwithstanding the
official Endorsement of the strike by the
head of the Federation of Labor. The
beef strike and the building trades strike
were also without proper justification.
They presented no central and vital
principle which would lead thousands
to stand by it to the end. These also
were officially Endorsed. While some
small good may spring from the expert
ence, these strikes must be set down as
failures. Their results can be briefly
stated Wages have not been increased;
the hours of labor have not been short
ened, and the union or CLOSED" shop,
vital issue in unionism as it is repre-
sented to-day by the American Fedora
ton Of Labor, stands in much worse
case than it did before the strikes.
Society at large has been the chief
sufferer, as it usually is in such expert
ences, and society could see in none Of
these strikes any purpose which seemed
to be worthy of approval and support.
All had the countenance and expressed
appro val of the central committee Of
organized labor, and that body could
only sit weakly by and watch their fail
ure. 1t is to fight such strikes as these
that employers have been forced into
organization for their own protection.
Labor leaders might not be able to
prevent them, but competent, broad
minded and farseeing leaders would at
least protest against their inception.
These strikes did not fail because those
viz lOOh pdIl Ill tllSIIl WCIC loO Wtuh W
maintain them, but because they were
wrongly based and were without due
justification. They involved neither an
economic nor moral principle. They
were an offence and not an appeal to
society.
Unionism in this country to-day is
rather an incoherent association than a
well established organization. Because
it does mot know quite what it wants to
do it. Is unable to act either harmon
iousty or effectively. In that fact is the
community's protection from the deeds
of ignorant, INSCRIPTIONS or fanatical
labor leaders.
If rightly conducted, unionism may be
made force helpful alike to its men,
bers and to society in general Stand
Ing on sound principles and wisely led
and guided it will encounter more help
than hindrance from employers and
from the public. If its course is marked
by foolish and unjustifable strikes, it
will encounter only opposition and ulti-
mate defeat In precisely that danger
unonism now stands. An often Of
Tended and sometimes outraged public
is rapidly forming itself into a national
Jury, on whose verdict the fate of union
ism will depend.
Both parties to industrial conflicts, en-
ployers as well as organized employees,
are now on trial. A vast problem is
in process of solution, and the fate of
unionism is in its own hands.
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