The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1904-12-09
President Roosevelt on Labor


organized labor" the president says
that everyone appreciates the subjects
| Importance. He says that the peculiar
form of our government with its divi-
sion of authority between the nation
and several states, is undoubtedly re-
| sponsible for much of the difficulty of
meeting with adequate legislation the
new problems preSe nted by the total
change in industrial conditions ON this
continent during the last half century.
| He says that in many cases 1t has
proved to be practically impossible to
get unanimity of wise action among
| the various states on these subjects
and from the very nature of the case,
/ this is especially true of the laws af-
| fecting the employment of capital in
huge masses Continuing on this sub
| ject he says:
| with regard to labor the problem.
| is no less important but it is simpler.
| AS long as the states retain the pri-
mary control of the police power the
circumstances must be altogether. eX
treme which require interference by
the federal authorities, whether in the
way of safeguarding the rights of Ia
Dor or in the way of seeing that wrong
! is not done by unruly persons who
shield themselves behind the name of
labor. II there is resistance to the
| federal courts, interference with the
mails. or interstate commerce, or mo-
lestation of federal property, or if the
state authorities in some crisis which
| they are unable to face call for help.
then the federal government may in
terfere: but though such interference
may be caused by a condition of things
arising out of trouble connected with
some question of labor the interference
itself simply takes the fOrln of restor-
ing order without regard to the ques-
tiOns which have caused the breach OF
order-for to keep order is a primary,
duty and in time of disorder and vio
| lence all other questions sink into
abeyance until order has been restored.
In the District of Columbia and in the
territories the federal law covers the
entire field of government; but the la
bor question is only acute in populous
centers of commerce, manufactures, or
mining.
Nevertheless, both in the enactment
and in the enforcement of the law the
federal government when within its
restricted sphere should set an ex-
|
cially in matter so vital as this af
fecting labor L believe it is often
necessary, and even where not neces-
sary it is yet often wise. that there
should be organization of labor in Or
der better to secure the rights OF the
| individual waae-worker. All encour
agement should be given to any such
organization, so lorg as it is conduct
ed with a due and decent regard for
the rights CT others There are in
this country some labor unions which
have habitually. and other labor un ons
which have often, been among the mos:
effective agents in working for SOOl
citizenship and for uplifting the cOndi-
! ton of these whose welfare should be
closest to our hearts. But when anv
labor union seeks improper ends, or
seeks to achieve proper ends by m
proper means, all good citizens and
more especially all honorable public
servants mu-t oppose the wrOngdoing
as resolutely as they would oppose the
wrongdoing of any great corporation
OF course any violence, brutality or COR
ruption, should not eor one moment oe
tolerated. Wageworkers have an entire
right to organize and by all peaceful
| and honorable means to endeavOr to
persuade their fellows to join them in
organization. They have legal right
which, according to the circumstances.
may or may not be a moral right to re-
fuse to work in company with men who
decline to join their organizations.
They have under no circumstances the
right to commit violence upon those,
whether capitalists or wageworkers,
who refuse to support their organiza-
xvyhO cir yxytf Wi y,
whom they are at odds; for mob rule is
ir tolerable in any form
The president adds: The wage
workers are peculiarly entitled to the
protection and the encouragement Of
the law. From TIE very nature of
their occupation railroad men for in
stance, are liable to be MANNED in do
ing the legitimate work of their occu-
patton, unless the railroad companies
are required by law to make ample