The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-04-21

livers the maximum output. II this
system can be interpreted as "restric-
ton Of output" by the unions they will
plead guilty to the charge. OF course,
such an Interpretation Is absurd.
What has been stated with respect
| to the practices Of the Typographical
| union can be fairly said of practically
all labor unions which legislate in any
| way on the question OF the amount
! OF work a man should perform in
a day. 1t may be that some labor
unions have attempted to enforce regu-
| lations restricting the amount of work
! any of their mebers may perform in
a day, but this policy is at a variance
with the recognized policy of the gen.
| eral labor movement, and it is as un-
just to condemn the institution Of labor
| un1onism because the isolated instance
es Of arbitrary regulations as 1t would
! be to condemn Christianity because
! one Of It's ministers was proven to be
a rascal.
The practice Of restriction OF the
number of apprentices that may be
employed Is classed by Hubbard as
Ubiquitous. This is another. instance
of perverse Interpretation of purpose.
When youth begins an apprenticeship
he does SO, believing that with the
instruction Of competent journeymen,
he will become a skill workman within
from four to five years. Without such
instruction the time he must work be-
fore he acquires a thorough knowledge
OF his trade Is purely matter Of
speculation. The greater the ratio of
apprentices to journeymen employed in
any one shop or factory the longer will
the apprentice .haye to work before he
becomes a craftsman. Greedy en-
| ployers attempted to maintain a sys-
tom whereby one or two Journey
men supervised the work of score or
more Of boys, and as soon as tie
more proficient youths demanded in
creased wages they were promptly
discharged. The system, if permitted
to extend, would work demoralizp-
| ton In any trade within a compar-
atively short time. The labor unions
acting with wisdom born of necess-
| 1ty, stepped in and said to this class
Of employers. 1--WE will not be parties
| to system whereby our sons who de-
| In a. reasonable time We will fix the
ration of apprentices to journeymen at
number which will admit every boy
employed having an opportunity to
become a skilled workman within an
apprenticeship of four Cor five) years.
and we have learned from experience
that the ratio we have fixed is equit-
able-fair to the boy, fair to you, fair
to the consumer and makes for the
perpetuation of highs standard of
efficiency in our craft"
If this policy is unwise or unjust.
the labor unions may be fairly charged
with Wrongdoing. minded peo-
pie, however, will and 40 approve of
this policy.
The charge that labor unions insist
that man shall join their organiza-
ton or be deprived of the right to
Work-be compelled to starve-is mere
ly an arbitrary statement. Labor ur-
lons' by virtue Of the power that in
heres in organization, estab lish con-
dltlons governing hours and wages and
other matters relating to employment
These conditions can only be secureH
through organization-the man who
does not join his fellows in maintain
ing such organization is a menace to
| those who have secured improved
conditions. He is at liberty TO Join
the union of his craft H. ne 80 de.
slres. 1t is strange, unnatural or un-
just that the men who have secured
| improved conditions through organiza-
ton resent the action of a few men
Of their craft who hold aloof from the
! organization, but nevertheless accept
the. benefits it has secured? The la
Dor union endeavors at times to mimi
mlze the menace of the nom unionist
by declining to permit it's members to
work with him-and in this they are
absolutely right, and the Ingenious
| ness of Hubbard cannot make this
| policy seem other than right to those
who will consider the question fairly
in all it's aspects.
| Hubbard says:
| when unionism reaches a noint
where it dictates to- the emplover whom
he shall hire. and dictates who shall
nave the right to labor and who shall
not, then unionism has become un-
Amerlcan-a menace too great to over
| look"
! ~ 10 1lOI OIleN In2C so much mis-
representation and exaggerat ton can
be crowded into one sentence, but this
is mild compared with many of his
statements regarding the walking
Delegate" and labor union officials
generally. There is hardly a sentence
IN all the rest of Hubard's article not
mere quoted that does not reek with
malicious misrepresentati on-malic-
1ous' because it is certain that the man
must know the charges he makes are
untrue and it is unlikely that any
sentiment save malice actuated him
IN making them. Hubbard is an en-
ployer conducting enterprises at East
Aurora, New York, and does not en-
ploy union men or women.
He concludes his article with fiat
ter1ng reference to an agency which
furnishes employers spies on labor
unions Truly, the "Philistines''
should be proud Of the Pastor Of the
Flock"