The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-10-27
APPRENTICES REALLY
BENEFITED BY UNIONS
Opponents of Labor Have
Much False Fear of Injury
to American Boy.
Investigation Will Show That
Boy Has No Better Friend
Than the Union.

One OF the strongest objections
raised by those who do not under
stand the labor movement is our de-
NAL (?) for a chance for the Amer
ican boy"
Speaking of this matter In the cur
rent number of the Typographical
Journal Editor Bramwood says:
college presidents, politicians,
bankers and corporation magnates are
loud in claiming that the apprentice
rules of trades-unions work incalcu.
liable injury to the American boy.
In recent address before the
American Institute of instruction one
OF this class bemoaned the lack of op-
portunities for boys to learn any kind
of trade, saying in the course OF his
remarks: To-day there are few ap
prentices, and such as may be found
are learning very little. The labor
unions restrict the number Of appren-
t1ces to limits grotesquely below OBJ.
v1Ous needs Like many would-be
champions of the, American boy, the
speakers information Cor misinfor-
mation) seems to hev been absorbed
from 'open-shop' literature instead OF
observation and investigation. The
idea that one boy is being held back
In the industrial race by organized
bands Of labor agltators is craftlly
advanced by partisans Of the non-un-
ion shop, and seems easily instilled
into the minds OF those who are in a
position to gain the public ear be-
cause OF their standing amongst edu-
Gators. These union haters are not
so solicitous for the apprentice as
they are anious to be in position to
dictate what wages they will pay for
skilled labor. The lack of opportuu
ity' for the boy is only used as club
to cripple the organizations which de-
clare for a fair wage for fair days
work. Such union haters need only
to disabuse their minds.
And here it may be said that, as a.
matter Of fact, no one denies the lack
of opportunity for a boy to learn a
trade in the skilled industries; but
the lack OF OPT ortunit is no greater
than tlaeaea hssne ns-iincentiYa Eha
boy undertakes 70. learn q business
with view to earning a livelihood;
he has an aptitude for some special
branch of the trade, is kept at work
mainly in that line-not by the labor
union, but by his employer-becomes
an adept In that specially, can conf
mand journeyman's wage in shorter
time than would be required to de-
velop into a master of the trade (an
all-around workman), and is satisfied
his employer is satisfied; other journ-
eymen in the shop are satisfied, and
another boy begins an apprenticeship.
The mouthing OF men who would
run the machinery OF great industries
with an unlimited number Of boys,
under the guise Of apprentices, there
by displacing the men who have al
ready mastered the trade, or SOME
SPECIAL line of 1t, are misleading
numbers OF speakers and writer's in
to the belief that labor unions are &C.
tually preventing boys from entering
into any kind Of apprenticeship, and
thus making it necessary to send
abroad to obtain thoroughly skilled
mechanics. This, of course, is a
strong weapon against labor unions,
and as the disruption of the union
now seems to be the sole object in
life among a certain class Of employ
ers-who believe they could control
wages If the individual workman
could be forced into competition with
each other and boys could be utilized
at the discretion of the employer
they use 1t with all the craft at their
command.
"The all-around skilled mechanic Is
in small demand in present-day in
dustries, and the trade schools that
turn out workmen In any branch OF
business will make fewer all-around
men, more skilled specialists and
demoralize industrial conditions.
"On careful investigation it will be
found that the American boy-the man
Of the future-has no better friend than
the trades union. He should not be
used as makeshift by the employer
and then cast aside"
Mr. T1ni0n Man .-N0fifv vnl,r hu+oh