Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-05-12


ers to obstruct the. movement, some
shibboleth was needed. The open
shop with it's great pretense of pro-
tecting individual liberty was certainly
a happy thought The very mention
of protection of liberty will set the
blood of the average citizen coursing
through the system without ever a
thought being given to the real rights
as defined by civil liberty-"the right
to do anything that does not interfere
with the equal rights of others to do
the same thing"
Added with the open shop phrase is
that other catch phrase-"the right of
the non-union man to work where,
when, for whom, and under whatso-
ever conditions he will" Yet let
either the union or the non-union man
attempt to work under these
rules closely interpreted and see how
long his individual liberty will be UNI
interfered with by the employer now
so energetic in it's advocacy. Let us
take it for granted that the non-union
man has the right to seek work where
ever he will, do that work whenever
he will work or not work for whom
soever he will, and to work or not
work under any conditions suitable to
himself, IN what way does his right
transcend that of the union man. The
right Of the non-union man to cease
work whenever conditions do not suit
him is exactly the same right claimed
by the union man when he refuses to
work with the non-union man. 1t is
simply a case of conditions not being
to his satisfaction, and courts have
repeatedly conceded him this right of
refusal to work with laborers not to
their satisfaction. The right of per-
suasion to induce employers to dis
criminate between union and nonunion
men is not even denied.
The Union Label.
The use or non-use of the union Ia
bel by manufacturers depends alto
gether upon the activities of the mem
bers Of our unions to demand union
made products. Manufacturers and
merchants are successful in the de-
gree in which they can please pur-
chasers and consumers. They are not
in position to compel any person to
purchase or use any article not to his
liking. The wage Garner, who as q
member of a trade union seeks the
highest price and best attainable con-
ditions for his labor, should always
remember that any article purchased
by him contains labor power perform
ed by some other wage Garner, and
that seeking the best there is for his
own labor, he owes it as duty to
make possible the very best there Is
for his fellow wage Garner. BY maxi
ing his purchase he is the employer
of the labor contained in the product,
or at least he makes the employment
possible and should therefore hold
himself responsible for the conditions
under which the labor entering the
product is performed.
Legislation.
While the amount of legislation Sc
cured during the past session of the
general assembly was not all that we
desired, there should be no discour-
agement. This convention should be-
gin laying out a program for the next
two years work
Child. labor legislation should, be
crowded to the utmost. The need for,
it is daily growing in our state. The
standing Of Iowa in intelligence and
the physical and moral well being of
It's citizenship will certainly deterior-
ate during the next decade unless
something is done to give the child an
opportunity to receive its full growth
in all particulars.
The experience Of the last session Of
the legislature SHOWS the great
necessity to prepare ahead Of
time the meeting of the gen
eral assembly. Organizations of
not near our numbers numerically,
were able to make all kinds of trouble
and that with legislation generally con-
coded to be distinctly class legislation.
Their greater preparation was plainly
manifest when it is taken into consid-
GRAFTON that they had secured the en-
dorsement Of seven Of our organiza-
lions to desired legislation that had
for years been resoluted against by
the federation and the labor unions Of
the state. Tie matter of legislation,
like that of everything else, is
growth, an evolution. The Federation
must bear in mind that the passage in
Iowa of laws is largely influenced by
Legislators from districts that have
very little accurate knowledge of the
81 Cav iAuuSIAitil dhdll 5lOWluS up Ill
the cities.
In explaining conditions to this class
OF legislators. We rely too much upon
our committees after the legislature
has convened and at a time when the
gee-hawing Of every interest is too con-
fusing for almost any mans accuracy
of judgment. From the fact that the
trades unionist is usually a student,
a person who thoroughly believes in
the law that where progress ceases, de-
cay sets in, he is always in the fore
front of thought for legislation Of ben
eft to the human race and the feder-
alton should fully appreciate this and
find some means to reach the 1egisla-
tor poorly informed in industrial af-
fairs, except those Of his immediate
environment. The federation should
not only conduct an educational cam
paign among it's members and those
eligible to membership, but also among
those who with usually the most hon
est of intentions are against us be-
cause they know SO little of our needs
and rights.
Conclusion.