Omaha daily bee., 1905-09-05

ing men who most bitterly oppose the labor
organization, profit by II.
When an organized body of laboring men
secure better wages shorter hours or inn
proved conditions for themselves they Sc
cure them, as rule, for those engaged in
dne same "ork OUTSIDE OF the organlzation.
street car strike. The union men insisted
that only union men should be employed
ought to be allowed to employ nonunion
men; The union men replied that they
would consent to the employment of nom
union men provided the nonunion men were
employed at the former rate Of wages,
while the union men received the advanced
ployers replied that that was impossible,
because they could not get nonunlon men
to work at a less rate than that received
by the union workers.
Certain Demands of Labor Proper.
There are certain things which the labor
me enumerate few OF these First, he
has the right to ask for reasonable hours,
and l believe that the eight-hour day is
a reasonable request When we remember
that eight hours are required for sleep
and something like an hour and a half for
eating and conslderable time for going
10 and from labo~ and removing from the
person the effects of labor, 1t will be seen
that an eight-hour day does not, after all.
give man an unreasonable time with his
family.
The wage Garner is not a beast of bur-
DEM, he Is human being. He has his
family and time must be given for associa-
ton with his family. Besides, he is an in
telligent being and time must be allowed
for mental recreation. He is a political
factor also and time must be allowed him
for preparation for the fit discharge of his
political duties. He Is also a moral being
and a member of society and ne has the
right to claim a SUFFICIENT time for the dis
charge OF his obligations to his fellow man
We cannot expect the laboring man to be
what he ought to be physically, mentally,
morally, socially and politically IL he Is
IN "a md from
the shop back to hfs couch, While this
question primarily affects the laboring man.
are so knit together that we cannot sep
arate ourselves from each other or subject
any portion Of the community to injustice.
Plea for Arbitration.
The laboring man has the right to ask
for arbitration OF conditions between labor
and capital. This phase OF the labor ques-
ton is not fully appreciated In the coun-
try and In the smaller towns, for the rea-
S S6vt that there s sy%Rahy between EN-
conduct OF both, where the number EN-.
ployed is so small that there can be per-
But where one man employs LOCO or 1000
personal acquaintance Is impossible and
the sympathy that rests upon acquaintance
Is likely to be absent There must be some
way of establishing justice between EN-
ployer and employs, and arbitration Is tho
only method that has been tried. The EN-
ployer who arbitrarily insists that he ha.
the right to run his own business without
consulting his employees does not STATE
all OF the case. So long as, in running hii
business, he does not attempt to regulate
the lives and the conditions that shall sur
round his employees, nobody will question
his right. but when he includes In the run
ming OF his business the right to determin,
the material, the social, the intellectual
and the political standing of his employees
he is claiming a right that he cannot de
fend. There ought TO be in every city, IL
every state and IN the nation a permanen
arbitra ton commission with power to In
vesugate and report upon any labor trouble
az tho request OF either party or upon IL
The compulsory investigation Of a labo
trouble must be distinguished from tn
compulsory enforcement Of the finding o
the board. II is far more important tina
the investigation shall be compulsory whei
either party desires Il than that the finding
shall be binding. because public opinion
will surely enforce fair and impartla
finding.
Compensation Must he Fair.
The iaborins man also has right to as
for reasonable compensation; and the rea
sonableness OF compensation must Deepen,
upon the conditions which surround him
When the cost OF living increases he ha
right To expect increased wages; II hi
business requires a high order OF skill, h
has the right TO expect a larger pay tina
skill. The longer the preparation for work
the higher the compensation, as a rule
Then. too, business IN which one ca
engage bat portion OF the time mus
furnish larger pei. diem than a bushes
in which the work Is constant. These ar
only few of the conditions that enter int
the determination Of wages.
Having mentioned some of the thing
which the laboring man has a right I
demand, let me add that society also make