The San Francisco call., 1904-11-13

The question was DuL 10
Frank Morrison. secretary OF
1 The great labor organization.
IF the American Federation Of Labor
is the ultimate form in whieh labor
shall unite to press its case against
capital-that is. ID preserve il
SEX and prosecute its advances
IN the struggle Of human de-
rr,eut-tt-n ] Think I can answer
that question IN q few words h said
I'VE thilk il IS; NJ think il Is an IDEAL
-o-m - organization. just as we as
Americans lti-k that oJ-r mobile form
~ go-=rnment ii the United States is
the best forln or government No man
who is ether than a fool, however,
thinks the veruuent Of the United
States Is d perfect government Most
of Us realize that 1t Is very far from
perfect
That watch makes this Government
the best On earth is not only the
greater freedom that il guarantees. but
ITS mobility. is ready adaptability TO
new measures and methods, the pro-
vision ar hand by which change. even
tae most radical change, may. be ef-
fected with tho only essential condf-
ti0n that the majority of the people
want the change. There's the rub. But
10 sensible man would remove that
very heavy and Tagging weight that
forever clogs the way Of progress-the
necessity Of leavening the whole lump
Leaders fret because OF the slow
march 70 goal that seems 50 bright
- desirable ard 50 ready at hand II
only the hand would reach out 10 take
H. But so did they who undertook
those reforms that resulted in the
French revolution They got rid Of
the impediment. but the yeast worked
TOO fast caused the batter 10 run over
and spoiled the bread We want none
Of that
Experience teaches that the steady
progress that is thoroughly grounded
is the best progress. The nag that is
slowly advanced with an iutreuched
army behind IL maintains its position.
BY all this I simply mean 10 say that
the many failures Of the past have
not been lost uDon trades unionism.
for they teach patience in what may
seem 10 be slow progress and that uI-
timate. complete success Of the move
menr l. more assured by our being
thorough as We go along. The work we
have TO do Is 10 educate. Organize.
organize organize is the slogan. but
organize ton Is the first means toward
education II is the class. the school.
Il is the first essential Il is the first
impulse Of the awakening mind The
minute the working man realizes that
he Is man ard not j slave be calls to
his fellows 70 unite with him for bet
terment
United they begin TO devise
ways and means They plan how they
may secure this and that that they
know. as men and not as slaves. they
should have-that belongs 10 them by
right They are at an immense dis
aivantage because they are not only
without means, dependent upOn% the
power they are attacking. but more
than all else they are inexperienced.
ignorant. They make mistakes and
are Inundated and their organizations
broken and scattered and they are in
iduaIly made TO suffer and are re-
duced TO still more abject poverty. The
weaker among them are made weaker
and more timid still. but the naturally
strong are developed in strength and
grow in wisdom They see wherein
the weakness Of their former move
ment lay and they 90 among their fel-
lows and point it out 10 them. They
see even as they did not see before
that only through uniting can they
ever be emancipated from their state
Of slavery.
That is 50 fundamental a truth that
il is patent No one disputes WheH
the nou-union man frets at what he
calls the domination OF the union he
ferns a union 70 oppose it, This is
the amazing spectacle that this partic-
ular brand Of the spirit OF liberty has
reserved for modern eyes Only by un-
ion can headwsy be made BY poverty
stricken individuals against the in
trenchments and fortifications Of CAPT
tai Organize, organize, organize Or
aanize unions. unite these unions to-
gether into other unions. and these
unions into still other unions. one in
trenched behind and reinforced by
the others; drill. discipline. educate
educate every man 70 know his
rights and the rights well as
the power OF capital. 70 know
what 70 ask for and what not
10 ask for. 70 know when 10 ask, TO
know when TO substitute the word de
n-znd' for request and finally and
most vitaliy. 70 know how to enforce
that demand That Is the American
Federation Of Labor. Il is the great
est labor organization Of the world
They VII tell you that the interests
= labor and capital are Identical that
they should live together in peace and
harmony; the welfare Of one is the vel
fare Of the other. and all that. OF