The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-06-30
WHAT It REQUIRES. TO
Be 4 GOOD UNION MAN
HE Is Not One Who Boasts Etern-
ally That He Is an Avowed
Enemy Of Capital.
He Must Be Opposed to Disorder,
and in Favor of Honest and
Consistent Work.

Well meaning men sometimes have
very wrong conception of what con-
stitutes a good union man. A good
union man, in the Judgment of the ed
itor. is not one who boasts eternally
that he is the enemy of all employers
and that through the radical and
wrong notion he has sacrificed many
good positions that a union man must
necessarily be the avowed enemy of the
employer.
He is not one who has an ideal of
what union man ought to be, and
forever foists that ideal upon his rel-
lows. criticising and bulldozing them
because he thinks they do not come up
to his misconceived ideal and asserting
that he is the only simon-pure union
man In the country, because in his
faulty Judgment it is impossible for
anyone else ever to have reached that
lofty pinnacle to which he thinks he
has scared in union goodness.
He is not the jealous Individual who
rails against the union, threatens to
pull away and smash it to pieces, and
and-so made better suggestion In the
meeting which was adopted instead Of
his.
He is not the one who boasts how he
despises non-un1on men and empha-
sizes his dislike by the free use of
brick bats, cobblestones and the like
in violation Of human rights. Such
things invariably bring the union man
into disrepute
He is not the one who goes around
cursing and abusing everything and
everybody, and saying by his every act
that there is no good in anything or
anybody but himself and his own do
1ngs.
He is not the selfish man who wants
to keep others out Of the union lest
they might get his job. Good union
men hold their jobs on their merits as
workmen, and not only by force Of the
| union. He who wilfully mistreats his
employer, expecting to be reinstated by
the force Of the union when discharg-
ed, imposes upon the usefulness Of the
union, and is not a good union man.
He is not one who spends his wage
in the saloon or other questionable
places, and forces his family to live in
poverty, denying them also his own So
ciety and companionship.
He is not the one Who acquaints his
employer with all the private affairs
of the union.
He is not the one who endeavors to
obtain another's position by misrepre-
sentation or unfair means.
He is not the one who absents him
self from the meetings of his local and
criticises those who do attend for what
they do. $3.50 49,. >,~~~~~s
He is not one who is always behind
with his dues.
He Is not one who promotes disorder
and foolishness at meetings of the
union, nor one who persists in showing
disrespect to the presiding officer and
others who address the meeting.
The good union man Is he who, in
sisting upon proper wages and working
conditions, also has respect for the
rights Of his employer and does not re-
enemy.
He who is charitably disposed to-
| ward the faults of others and tries
| hard himself to live up to correct con-
ception of what constitutes a good
union man.
He who, while deploring the mis-
takes Of the non unionist, nevertheless
sympathizes with him In his self i'm
posed hard lot, and endeavors by both
word and to prove to him that it Is his
| duty to join the union.
He to whom violence is at all times
repugnant.
He who invariably has an encourage
| ing word for his associates. and over
looks their shortcomings, remember
| ing well that Scriptural truism, There
| is none perfect among you: no. not
one."
He who, shows due appreciation for
words of wisdom and praiseworthy
deeds Of others.
He who Is not so selfish but that he
can give due credit to the conscietious
! effort and utterances Of others.
He who recognizes that the union Is
for all workers who avail themselves
Of its benefits.
He who has the good sense to know
that the success Of the union depends
upon getting others to join it.
He who Is thrifty, sober. provides
we'll for his family and loves their So
ciety and companionship.
He who does not divulge the busi-
ness Of the union to outsiders.
He whose sense Of honor will not
permit him to take advantages Of
fellow worker.
He who Is opposed to disorder at
meetings and shows due respect for the
presiding officer. assisting him in all
efforts to conduct things decently and
in order.
He who loves peace, preferring not
to fight the employer, yet is sensitive
to unjust treatment and is not cow
ard.
He who is not afraid to go imme-
diately to the employer and in a
Straightforward, manly way point out
injustice and insist upon having tho
same righted. 49,. .s-...
He opposes strikes and consents to
them only when all other means Of
righting wrongs have utterly failed.