The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-01-07
.NON-UN|ON|S7 ENJOYS
BENEFITS NOT EARNED
Beautiful Story BY r. N. Qua
ley Of the Rights and Du-
ties of Labor.
Non-unionist Likes to Reap the
Rewards of Others, But
Will Not Pay.

BY the aid of an illustration l will try
to show you what right a non-union-
ist has to remain a non-unionist in a
trade which is organized in a city.
Surprising Mrs. John Jones wants to
have surprise party on her husband,
and she asks a few Of his friends from
the shop where he works to come ia
his home on that occasion. Well, the
boys get together and talk it over and
every one is willing to give a half dol
lar for present, and they figure up
that for this money they can buy him
fair rocking chair, and there will be
enough over to pay for a box Of cigars
and bottle Of wine or case of beer.
Well, one goes around and gets every
body's half dollar, but when he comes
to Jack Small, Jack says: mo, I'm
not going to give anything; we are in
vited and Mrs. Jones don't ask us to
bring anything along" well, but ev-
eryone else is giving something, and we
thought it would be nice to surprise
him with a present Of some kind"
these begging lists. l am against it,
That settles it,
The boys buy the rocking chair, cigars
and wine, Or whatever they want, es
long as the money reaches, and when
the proper evening comes they go to
Mrs. Jones house, and Jack Small
comes there too. One Of the boys makes
little speech stating the chair is from
the boys in the shop, and John thanks
them all heartily. The cigars are pass
ed around. Jack takes a cigar and
smokes all right, and when the wine is
passed around he takes his glass as
we'll as the rest. They have a fine jol-
ly time. Mrs. Jones serves supper and
all are treated alike.
Two or three of them talk it over
and one says: isn't he a pretty
cheeky cuss; he smokes the cigars and
drinks the wine, but he won't give a
cent towards paying for it; like his
nerve" WELL" says another, what
are you going to do about it; he was in
vited and had a right to come
WELL" says the third one, II know he
had right to be there, but I feel as
though 1 would like to kick the stuff
ing out Of him." Now there isn't one
in this audience but what thinks Jack
Small was pretty darn small guy.
But let me tell you he isn't a bit
smaller than the man who comes into
a we'll organized town, where the boys
have stuck together and secured fair
conditions as to shops, working hours
and wages, and starts working at a
trade, but refuses to join the union.
They have paid good many years.
dues, spent evenings at their meet
ings, and some of them days at COM
mittee work, and they expect every new
hand to join in and pay their share as
we'll as they themselves will continue
to do. But this new man goes to work:
the wages are better than he ever re-
ceived before and he is we'll satisfied.
Then the shop steward comes around
and asks him if has a union card No,
he has none; he never belonged to the
unions. The shop steward informs him
that he can join at the next meeting,
but the new man tells him he has no
use for the union. He don't believe in
paying money into any unien for some
one to run away with, and he tells
them that he can get the same wages
as they do, and he would be foolish to
pay ouI HIS lllOlfcy lOI Sucn IE1ngS.
He don't have to do it and they can't
stop him from working, etc. There it
is, he likes to reap all the benefits as
result OF their accomplishment, but is
not willing to pay his share towards
the running expenses of the union. He
wants to sit down at the table, eat
and drink and smoke the cigars. but
is not willing to share in the expense.
1t is the same Jack Small, and when you
get few of them into the establish
ment and the employer knows it, and
orders a reduction of wages of, say
ten per cent, and when the union hands
refuse to submit to it, the Smalls are
bewildered: and if it comes to a strike
they will "scab it, on the strikers. cut
ting their own and the strikers throat
at the same time. Bishop Fellows. of
Chicago, is reported saying, after hav-
ing investigated the butcher strike:
'Unionism is the very salvation Of
labor. Perish every effort to destroy it..
The non-unionist is reaping the bene-
fit of the sacrifices and labors Of his
union brethren and he ought to recog-
nize the sacredness Of his obligation to
them"