Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-01-08
INC Scope Of the obneatIon.

The publication IN Every Evening, on
Friday last, of O section Of the obligation
which an members of the Typographical
Union take upon themselves has attracted
great interest The section which we
quoted reads as follows:
THAT MY FIDELITY TO THE
UNION AND MY DUTY no THE MEM
BERs THEREOF SHALLINN SENSE
BE INTERPRETED WITH BY ANY
ALLEGIANCE THAT I NAY NOW OR
HEREAFTER OWE TO ANY OTHER
ORGANIZATION, SOCIAL POLITICAL
OR RELIGIOUS, SECRET OR OTHER
WISE"
The truth Of the assertion that such an
obligation is imposed upon members Of the
Typographical Union has been doubted
by some and small wonder For they are
amazed that any man in his sober senses
could knowingly and willingly thus bind
himself But any member of the Typo
graphical Union who IS not an unmiti-
gated liar viii admit that the above quota
ton is absolutely correct.
No doubt many members Of the Typo
graphical Union assumed this obligation
unthinkingly and without q comprehension
of It's full Significance and It's surprising
scope. But now that attention has been
called to the matter, none can continue to
rest under Il without agreeing to an that
il implies, while in future no man may
join the organization without knowing
that in so doing he places himself beyond
the pale of almost every other organiza-
ton that society recognizes and oncour-
ages for the promotion Of helpful inter
course and congenial association. As to
church membership, what pastor can
extend the hand Of fellowship to mem
Der who has taken an obligation which
places his labor union above even the
church
With respect to secret societies which
make earnest endeavor to guard the char
acter Of their membership, and subject
applicants for admission TO a careful
scrutiny before passing upon their petit
tons, it is safe 10 assert that this domin-
ating obligation would be held sufficient
justification for refusing membership TO
those who take il upon themselves No
such society would vote to receive as a
member any man affiliated with the
Typographical Union, now that it is
known what the Typographical Union
requires its members to obligate them
selves to.
The man who may hereafter take upon
himself this sweeping obligation will de
liberatey deprive himself of any right to
be considered fit for membership in any
of the many reputable secret societies that
abound in this country. For none of them
will care to initiate into their mysteries
men who have already obligated them
selves to subordinate every other obli-
CATION they may assume to the supreme
mandate Of the typographical Union.
As TO membership in churches, it would
appear that no member of the Typo
] hANIlANNA NAiNA YAH liNtA AAN tNNHt OF
religion or even his souls salvation, as Of
paramount Importance to the union
cause.
As We before remarked, the only re-
deeming feature about this obligation is
that It is not tiernally binding. The man
who does not care to assume it may evade
il by refraining from any connection with
the Typographical Union. The man who
has already assumed it may relieve him
self by abandoning the union. But it will
hold against all who retain their member
ship in that organization.
We are Of the opinion that a thorough
ventilation Of this subject will have a good
effect in opening the eyes of many mem
bers of the Typographical Union to the
serious situation in which they have placed
themselves by assuming this obligation.
Certainly it should deter Others from
assuming t. No man should mortgage
every obligation he owes to society, even
for the Typographical Union.