The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-07-08

and demand OF Of laws OF the union,
they plunge the union into disastrous
and sometimes Illegal strikes and then
condemn the union and its officers IL
1t does not succeed, in this manner
sometimes completing the destruction
of the union they claimed to support
as good union men.
This history Of unionism records In
stances where organization proceeded
at a rapid rate and promised speedily
to remedy many Of Iabors wrongs, but
all progress was stopped by sudden
epidemic OF premature wage disputes,
followed by Illegal strikes. The entire
attention OF the executive and organ
icing stan Of the union would then be
directed TO adjusting the Illegal strikes.
no attention being paid to the work Of
organizing meanwhile, and through this
diverting the efforts OF the executives
from constructive work to an attempt
to repair the damages caused by de-
struetive work, accompanied with quar-
reis incident TO failure. movements
fraught with the welfare OF hundreds
of thousands Of human beings have
been wrecked through the unconscious
exercise OF the power to destroy by the
unconscious foes within the ranks.
The redeemlng feature Of this class
II that, their motives being sincere,
many OF them learn by experience to
avoid the dangers Of Illogical radical
methods and policies.
A few. however, graduate, or, more
properly Speaking. degenerate, from this
class to the class Of conscious foes
within the ranks.
The conscious foes within the ranks
comprise those who have personal
grudges to settle or ambitions to serve
and are willing to sacrifice the move
ment to crafty either personal amhI-
ton or personal spite.
The strike breaker IS an open foe.
and all know where to find him. He
Is a Hessian, while the conscious foe
within the ranks Is q Benedict Arnold
He is In 1t for himself only. He as
pires to lead, not by merltorious ideas
or measures advocated by him, but by
condemnation OF everything advocated
by everybody else. He is destructive
and not constructive. He comes with
fair professions on his lips and malice
In his heart lie proposes TO love the
union much, but condemns everything
connected with It except himself Be
ing busy destroying the work or repu-
tation of others, he has no time to do
any work or establish any reputation
for hlmselfa and be soon fades because
bis dunes soon recognize him as one
great in promises and little in per.
Torrance.
When any one claims prominence, let
those whose support Is asked analyze
his qualifications for leadership.
The FIRST test is whether he is de.
structlye or constructive in his work.
If the first he viii denounce every
thing and everybody, basing his whole
position on criticism Of others.
If he does advocate anything new. it
Will BIO found to be unsound, the prod,
act Or narrow mind and sure not to
succeed.
Such q nature Is not capable OF broad
intelligence or real ability and ID likely
TO be coupled with iIlteracy or at least
merely superficial knowledge.
Such one viii not measure up to the
needs of leadership In any movement
If he Is constructive, he will be found
Offering ideas instead Of himself, and
finally winning the support Of members
because Of his loyal and unselfish
service to the cause the members seek
him instead Of bis seeking the menu
befs.
Not seeking Office himself he has no
occasion to SANDER others, and he can
say good word for others, for the
measures OF others and for the union
Itself as It IL now, without impalring
his chances, because his candidacy is
based on merit and on fhe spontaneous
desire of his fellows and IS not manu-,
featured by himself and based on re-
Wiling others.
On labor unions depends the welfare
Of hundreds OF thousands Of the fami-
lies Of the members Therefore not The
members alone are interested, but II
the unions suffer their families and de-
pendents suffer; hence the greater me-
cossity that the analysis should be
keen and conclusive
II Is freely admitted that one has q
right to aspire to leadership, but such
a desire should not be gratlficd unless
the members are satisfied that the as
piration rests upon something else be-
Eides the mere desire to hold Office
If they find him broad, intelligent.
able, generous, honest, seeking the wei
fare Of the movement and not himself,
they can trust him.
# they find him narrow, ignorant, In.
capable, mean, tricky, a yiliAer Of 9th
eVs self seeker ana u destroyer, they
had best let him alone.
The labor union that allows q person
who IS DESTROYS Of exercising The pow
er to destroy to remain in a position
Of influence IS guilty OF the same kind
Of negligence as the person who left
the lantern behind Mrs, c'Leary's COW.