The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1906-10-25
Has Done More to Solve Industrial Problem Than Any Other
Force or Institution
EVERY WORKER SHOULD GETlNTo UNION OF HIS CRAFT.
rays Over Twenty Five Hundred Per Cent Paid in as
Dues-Io Get Best Results Organize Thoroughly Educate
Carefully and Fraternaize Completely.
Force or Institution.

we often read in the papers and
elsewhere of how the working peo.
pie should invest their savings. II
would seem that it would be more
appropriate TO tell them how to get
the savings. It is all-important to
cultivate the hnbit of saving. but
when you talk to the average wure
Garner about saving money in the
lace OF the exorbitant prices he is
confronted with for everything he
eats, wears and the place to lay
ms weary head, he is liable To
give You the "glasSy eye.,' MANY
young man starts out in life with
best intentions, but n succession of
OF disasters discourages him until
he takes to drink, and from that
on it is down hill all the way. Men
frequently drink to drown sorrow,
but sorrowsi is q good deal like cork
lit is hard tosink, and the stronger
the liquid the better it will float.
a story is sometimes told of the
young man standing at the bar,
slightly under the weather. with
the gale increasing in its fury every
minute, when an old man laid his
hand gently on his shoulder with
the plea: "My friend, why don't
You save your money for rainy
day +" Looking around, with ap-
parent disgust, be rearked "D--m
1t. partner, did save up several
times for a rainy day, but it was
always sure to rain the next day. -
So it is with most men; they
strive for years TO do the right
thing, but some schemcr manages
to get the accumulaions of life
time, often at one full sweep. The
men who do not work, have to
work others, in order to live, and
like other parasites, the life of the
parasite depends on the death of
the victim. If not his literal, at
least his industrial death. Work
Is not worst thing in the world by
any means, but the worst thing is
the taking away from the worker
what he has honestly earned. How
to prevent this is the problem of
the ages. IT is safe to say that the
trade union has done more to read
the riddle than any other force ex
tant to-day. While it has not
done all that could he desired. vet
1t has done much. There is scarcely
Il union i'll existence that has any
standing at all, that has not in
creased the wages of lis members
from twenty-five cen to IL dollar
or more a day. Some have done a
great deal more than that, TO say
nothing of the shortening of hours,
elimination of driving and better
condi ions generally.
But say that the average is an in
crease OF iiity cents per day. That
imonts to s3 per week. or about
sloo per year. The initiation fee
VIII not, as "a general rule, he more
than 5000 per member, and the
dues 1u cents per month or a tot.Il
IN estment oil SiI for the first year.
After that IL will not be over $500.
on which net return will he re-
celved OF 2,5OJ per cent. on the
paid in. 1t would appear
form showing that Stondard Oil or
.Frenzied FINANCE" is not in it
with the trade union as an invest
ment.
Is it not clear, then, that the first
thing of all things that worker
should do is to ger into the union
of his craft! Ii one does not exist.
he should proceed quietly to get
one started at the earliest oppor-
tnnity. If a union is organized and
proper.y the right plan
Is to organize thoroughly, educate
carefully and frateinize completely.
a good many unions fail because
they are not patient enough to do
either one of these important things.
They expect TO begin to collect rent
for structure before the founda-
ton is fairly begun. They seem to
think that the object of unioniSm
is to organize and strike. They
should be satisfied to organize well
enough so that they will not have
to strike.
They should also remember that
1t Is well to once III a while try to
imagine yourselves in the employ
er's place In these days of mono