The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1906-11-01
THE DRAWBACK OF UNIONS.

might things which stands out
most prominently in the way of
the progress of our organization,
and in order to do SO, most en-
phatically, we find it necessary to
employ the plainest kind of langu-
age. The chief weakness in our
organization today is the weakness
of the chronic uni n fault-finder.
He seems to abound in nearly all
local unions and examples of dis
content with the union, wrought by
the seeds of disruption sown by
these chronic fault-findcrs is APP
parent in nearly if not quite all
localities. 1t is an important part
of the dastardly work of this
species of so-called union men to
poison the minds of the local mem
bers against the general officers.
The officers are not materially in
jured by the constant pounding
which they get and, personally,
may or may not care, for usually
the imaginary charges which the
trouble monSer pirates about can
be cleared up in about two minutes
by the officers assaulted if he hap
pens to stumble Upon an oppor-
tunity, but the unfortunate part of
it is that the general officers not
being omnipresent, like the Great
Father of the Universe, cannot be
everywhere at the same time, and
therefore must be the silent re-
cipicnt of these many cowardly
assaults without a shadow Of a
chance at defense. But as a matter
of fact, the organization which
they represent is seriously injured
and its usefulness impaired by the
creation of suspicion, doubt and
lack of confidence in the men who
are put at its head. Here is where
the harm is done and it is to this
phase of the subject that we pro.
pooS w NSboIS oul dllcllllOIl. M
man who is honest will continue
membership i'll an organization
which he believes is differed by
crooks, thieves or ignoramuses, and
of those who believe that it is only
the dishonest ones who stav in
the organization to ply their dirty
work. Be the officers of an organ
lZatiOn ever so honorable and v q
so faithful, each individual mem
Der cannot have the opportunity
of a personal acquaintance with
them and without an intimate
knowledge Of their personality,
men who under ordinary circum-
stances arc fair minded, fall ready
victims to the lying propensity of
the poisonous reptile whom we
have herein characterized as the
Chronic Union Fault Finders. and
thus the general officers are con.
ricted Of almost every crime in the
trade union calendar without =
trial or without even Il KNOWLEDGE
that they h;ve been charged. The
fault finders declares, .'headuuart.
ers is no good. They are all rot
ton up there. all they want is your
money! and thus the seed of dis
trust is sown in the mind of the
otherwise would-be good union
man and gradually pounded in.
there to remain unuueStioncd
unless by chance he is brought
lace to face with unquestionabic
evidence Of the honesty aud tideli-
ty of the official assailed. When
these vile charges are made behind
the backs of the general officers
there are often men present who
know they are untrue but imbud-
ed, as many are with an inherent
weakness they haven't the moral
courage to get up and defend the
absent officer. who is tried. CON
vlctcu and executed Oftimes with
out even knowing of the circum-
stance.
The success of n uni,n m,,St j.,