Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-03-28
trade union on the foreign element ID
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L TRADE UNION Oh Lie AOACl6AA SASAAASAAs =
exceedingly interesting. He says:
The immigrant is, in the first place
wage reducer, either directly or IN
directly, altho the extent of his IN
fuence on wages cannot we'll be stated
but as a prospective wage reducer ne
is met by the labor union in self de-
Tense, Just as the trade union meets
female and child labor, except In this
the union seeks to organize the immi-
grants, while it seeks by legislation to
prohibit or limit the work of women
and ci1ildren-that is, the union seeks
the aid of the state to prevent wage
reductions by means Of female and
child labor, and it seeks by organizing
the immigrants to prevent reduction of
wages by immigration. It makes no
claim of undertaking any charitable Or
primarily civic education among the
immigrants, but the secondary effect of
the union on immigration is distinc-
lively civic in character. 1t is, first,
and for time, the only point at which
he touches any influence outside his
clan.
Seek to Reach Children.
Even the progressive forces inside
the nationality lines consider the i'm
migrant hopeless and seek to reach
only his children-as, for instance, the
officers of the Polish National alliance
direct their efforts toward getting the
Poles to send their children to Ameri-
can schools and to have them mix up
and become part of the whole people.
The trade union, however, must deal
with the immigrant himself and the i'm
migrant, when he learns that the union
wants to raise his wages, decrease his
hours of labor, etc, begins to see the
necessity Of learning the English
language, of understanding the insti-
tttions he hears talked about in the
union meetings and other matters
which interest him.
1t is not unlikely that President
Roosevelt will make this report the
text for the address he will deliver to
the anthracite miners of Pennsylvania,
in August, when he goes to the min
ing region as the guest of John Nit
chell. 1t is certain that he intends
to urge the miners to uphold their
union, and unquestionably his ,argu-
ment will be based on the fact that
unionism makes Americans Of the
foreigners in the mines.
influence of Union.
Mr.. Stewart says his investigation
disclosed the influence of the union in
facquainting foreigners with the work.
ings of the American form Of govern
ment. He relates that when agents
of the government go among foreign
ers who have not had experience in
the labor union, they find them dis
trustful of the government. For in
stance, the bureau of labor recently,
when gathering statistics relating to
building and loan associations, had &C.
casion to send agents to settlements
of Poles and Bohemians. 1t was found
that as soon as these foreigners heard
the word government" or the words
government agent" they closed their
mouths, and it was impossible to get
any information from them. The only
way to get the desired information
was by the use of an intelligent inter-
prefer using their own language. Mr..
Stewart adds:
Builds Up independence.
THE union is breaking down this
trait of character in the foreigners of
the nationalities mentioned. This it is
doing, not as a matter of philanthropy,
but from selfish necessity. The immi-