The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-11-10
TRADE UNIONS HAVE
MANY WEAK POINTS
One Would Not Be Classed AS
Unfriendly for Calling
Attention to Error.
Members of Trade Unions Have
Much to Contend With.
Chiefly the Fault Finder.

It is perfectly true that we. in this
column, attack with all our might, the
thing which stands out most promin-
emily IN the way Of the progress Of our
and in order to do so,
most emphatitcally. We find 1t neces-
sary to employ The plAinest kind Of
language. The chief weakness in our
organization today is the weakness Of
the chronic union fualt-f1nder. He
seems to abound in nearly all local I'M
ions and examples Of discomfort with
the union, wrought by the seeds Of
disruption sown by these fault-f1nders
is apparent in nearly If not quite all
localities. It Is an important part Of
the dastardly work Of this species of
so-called union men to poison the
minds Of the local members against
the general officers. The members are
not materially injured by the constant
pounding which they get, for usually
the imaginary charges which the trou-
BILE monger prates about can be cleared
up In about two minutes by the officer
assailed If he happens to stumble upon
an opportunity, but the unfortunate
part Of it is that the general officers
not being omnipresent, like the Great
Father of the universe. cannot be ev-
erywhere at the same time, and there
fore must be the silent recipient Of
these cowardly assaults without a sha-
dow Of a chance Of defense. But as
matter of fact, the organization
which they represent Is seriously in
jured and it's usefulness impaired by
the creation Of suspicion, doubt and
lack of confidence in the men who arc
put at its head. Here is where the
harm is done and it Is to this phase Of
the subject that we. propose to devote
our attention. No man who Is honest
will continue membership In an organ
ization which he believes is differed
by crooks, thieves or ignoramuses, and
of those who believe this it is only the
dishonest ones who stay in the organ
ization to ply their dirty work. Be the
officers of an organization ever so
honorable and faithful, each Individual
member cannot have the opportunity
Of a personal acquaintance with them
and without an intimate knowledge
of their personality, men who under
ordinary circumstances are fatr-mtnd-
ed, fall ready victims to the lying
propensity Of the poisonous reptile
whom we have herein characterized as
the Chronic Union Pathfinder. and
thus the general officers are convicted
of almost every crime in the trade un-
ion calendar without" trial or without
even knowledge that they have been
charged. The Pathfinder declares,
headquarters is no good. They are
all rotten up there, all they want is
your money" and thus the seed of dis
content is sown in the mind Of the
otherwise would-be good union man
and gradually pounded in, there to
stay unquestioned, unless by chance
he is brought face to face with I'M
questionable evidence of the honesty
and fidelity of the official assailed.
When these vile charges are made be-
hind the backs Of the general officers
there are often men present who know
they are untrue but imbued, as many
are, with an inherent weakness they
haven't the moral courage to get. UP
and defend the absent officer, who is
tried, convicted and executed CIT
times without even knowing Of the
circumstance.
The success Of a union must inevi-
tably depend upon the intelligent
standard of it's members. If they are
weak, it will be weak; If they are
strong, it will be strong. Why can
we not put aside these inherent weak
nesses and for the sake of the union,
if for no other cause, be men arrorg
international Jour-