The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-12-10
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AND
LABOR.

message to Congress devoted more
time to enCOnOmics than in any prev
ious message. He handled the labor
question without gloves. His treat
ment of labor's right to organize should
put every member Of the Presidents
party who is opposed to organized Ia
Dor to shame. Mr.. Roosevelt shows
plainly that he has given the question
in ali it's details his closest thought.
He has presented every phase of the
problem sincerely and coura geously.
He still holds to the open shop idea
In the government service, but this
in no way can be regarded as unfriend-
illness to the cause Of labor. The union
list who looks at the question from a
stand point of a citizen can readily
understand the Presidents position.
While it would undoubtedly be of much
advantage to union labor to have the
union shop prevail in the government
service, yet as matter of right no
citizen can be Disseminated against
by his government simply because he
does or does not belong to a union.
Trade unions have perfect right
to seek the exclusive employment Of
union members In the. government
service, just as any body Of citizens
have a right to get their friends into
office If they can. They cannot be
blamed for doing this, nor can the
President be condemned for standing
for more liberal policy than the
unions would like.
AS a general proposition, however.
President Roosevelt has stated in no
uncertain terms his faith in organized
labor. In fact he goes into the labor
question more deeply than any presi-
dent of the United States ever did be-
fore. He puts the Parryites to route
when he says: There should be org
anizations of labor in order to better
secure the rights Of the. individual
worker" In other words he holds that
the right of the individual can only be
preserved by organization. Mr.. Parry
and his associates dispute this con-
tention, and hold that trade unions
destroy the rights of the Individual.
The inference Of the President is that
it is the employers in large corpora
tions, and not the unions that are de-
stroying individual liberty.
The President gave utterance to one
thought that should be carried deep to
the heart of every member Of trade
union. ITO keep order is a primary
duty and in a time Of disorder and
violence all other questions sink into
allegiance until order has been re-
stored" During times Of strikes and
industrial disputes the lawless ele-
nnent have done labor much harm. We
do not know OF one strike that has
been won where lawlessness was re-
stored to-. Even If the labor organiz-
Hl1Ou OIL SLIlht1 10 IOl 1CopOAoAOAC AOA
disorder the fault will be laid at its
door by the ordinary person who does
not take the time or the trouble to
examine into the matter thoroughly.
It is the paramount duty OF all the
lea ders in the labor movement to make
respect for the law a part of the
-7opaganda work Of organized labor
This is and always will be govern
ment Of law. If those with affluencs
show but little respect for law 1t will
be all the more to labor's credit tt
hold the law supreme. President
Roosevelt is most certainly doing some
splendid work for his fellow country
men in giving more than passing
notice to questions Of this nature.