The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-01-19
TRADE UNIONS CROW
FAT ON OPPOSITION
The More Some Employers
Associations Attack Union
Labor the Better.
Unionism Nourishes on Oppo-
sition-Trade Union Pol
icy Result of Wisdom.

Opposing the organization Of en-
ployes or seeking their destruction has
ceased to be the practice of the pro-
gressfve business men. Right think
ing persons recognize the necessity and
real value, Of labor organizations to
the workers as we'll as the errors,
weaknesses and excuses such Or
CARNATIONS are guilty Of at times.
This class Of persons and employers
DO not demand that the workers cease
to organize or that their organization
be destroyed because Of its weak links,
but rather that the weaknesses be
overcome and the errors and excuses
corrected. Every progressive move
ment Of any magnitude, confronted
with obstacles and forced into conflict
at every STEP is certain : to uncover
human .Yea knesses. Errors are com
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e s't1,A IS AVISE dnQ :CltsgQQ4OuSS-Q1
Justice, honor &nd honesty. s s
The indisputable right and justice
Of the claim Of trades unions to recog-
milton as the economic organization of
the workers has been universally con-
coded. The fairly disposed employers
unhe3itatingly accept it and freely
negotiate with unions as the rightful
agents of their employees in the deter
minat1on Of wages, conditions and
hours OF labor. There remains, how
ever, a class of employers that de-
mands the destruction Of trades
unions. These employers might as
we'll try to change winter to summer
or summer to winter as try to destroy
trades unions. Their economic views,
narrowed by their own selfish inter-
ests. ignore the conditions Of pro-
gress of the workers..
The open shop" is the employers
and more particularly the employers
associations latest method of refusing
to recognize unions Of employees It
Will never promote good will and rea-
son between employers and employees
or encourage industrial peace, but
rather destroys the value of ooncilia-
ton, mediation, arbitration and trade
agreements which have exercised a
powerful influence for peace. The
"open shop" policy, If established,
would operate the same as the positive
refusal of employers to recognize
unions and the highly civilized meth
DDS which are now a marked feature
of the relations Of strife, disturbance
and irrationality which preceded them.
The policies Of trades unions and
their leaders have steadily grown In
wisdom and moderation. AS fast as
features Of those policies are demon
strated to be wrong. not only by the
sophistry OF antagonistic and design
ing employers or case Of temperament
al prejudices but by practical applica-
ton, they are being eliminated. The
process of elimination and evolution
which Is steadily supplanting nom
progressive policies and revolution is
gradually Strengthening the position
OF trades unions, as any one can salts
fy himself who follows the develop
ment Of unionism for the past 20 years.
Unionism is not passing fad OF the
workers that will give way to opposi-
ton. 1t is condition; It is a. part
of our industrial system which must
be met by constructive and progress
sive methods and not destructive
methods on the part Of the employer.
Unionism nourishes on opposition,
and those employers who think to de-
feat 1t by refusing it recognition or
destroy it by the individual apraemont
"open shop" or workers credential plan
will sooner or later appreciate the
full import Of that wise saying: "Ex-
perience keeps a dear school, but fools
will learn in no other and scarce in
that"