The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-11-26
FALSE ASSERTIONS BY
ENEMIES Of LABOR
Statement That the Unions
Keep Men From
Rising.
Most Skillful and Brainy
Workers In Trades
Organizations.

One of the favorite expressions Of
the enemies Of labor is, "Once a union
man always worker" They have
probably expended more energy in
the PRONUNCIATION Of this erroneous
idea than and other when talking or
writing to laboring men. In fact, this
is about the only argument they can
make which will in any degree appeal
to the workingmen, says Steam SHOW
Ell Journal. This argument against
labor unions is a fair example of any
they can make when talking to a
worker. They dare not come out in
the open and tell him the real truth
that they want him to stay out OF the
union In order that they may buy
his labor more cheaply than they
could were he In the union-and as
they dare not tell the truth in the
matter they use the method Of any
sharper in making a deal with a suck
er. You may just put it down as gcs-
pei truth that any time an employer
urges you to stay out Of the union be-
cause 1t will restrict your opportuni-
ties, that it will put you on a dead
level from which you cannot rise, that
there is no hope of promotion for you
If you join the union, that he doesn't
talk to you in this way by reason of
any self interest, but because he
wishes to see you prosper he is try
ing to sell you a gold brick.
They say that unions keep man
from rising. It is easy to make an
assertion, but to prove it is another
matter. The reports Of the United
States department of labor say that
the wages of men in unions average
more than so per cent per day in ex-
cess of the men in the same employ
ment who are not organized; that in
earning that large wage the union man
works an average of one hour less
per day than the non-union man. Does
this keep the union man down as
compared with the non-union man?
Why, if he only saves the 50 cents per
day and reads for that one hour each
day he will pull himself up so fast
that he will soon be out Of sight Of
the fellow who permits his employer
to- take an interest in him instead Of
taking an interest in himself. The
argument that unions keep a man
down is used as an appeal to the
most pronounced Of sthe characterfs-
tics Of man selfishness, and yet when
man is working for living, unless
he be a veritable blockhead, he can
see in that same selfishness one of
the strongest arguments in favor of
joining union. The selfishness the
employer appeals to is of the kind
which impels man to rise by tramp
ling on his weaker mates, to better
his condition at the expense Of his fell
fellows. The selfishness that the
union appeals to is Of the kind taught
by the Master--the kind that impels
man to better himself, but to do so
BY and with the aid of his fellows not
using them as stepping stones, but as
trusted friends and companions on his
way to the goal. Just look at the diff
ference, ais expressioned above, in
money and hours Of labor, and decide
for yourself which is the most effec-
tive. It cannot. be disputed that
union men rise collectively at a. much
faster rate than non-union men,
But, says the employer, the union is
destructive Of individuality. The av
+ erage wage may be higher to union
! men, but fewer. union. men. rise above
the average. Simply another asser-.,
ton. Are there not :proportlonately
t"as many :foren1en, superintendentst
etc., in union. shops as in nonuniocn
shops? lf.:the union man wants to
| become an; employer can he not save
money -faster?, Does he not have:
more leisure time to prepare himself
for his prospective business? = And
has: he not learned as a member. :of
the union the: way OF all true business,
:4t.Do* unto others AS YOU would ! Sc,
done gained a know
ledge 81 ii