The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-12-14
BUILDING TRADES UNIONS Fighting
IN DEFENSE OF HOMES OF LABOR
False Cry For the open Shop Opponents Nothing
Union Labor. They Want to Reduce Wages. Material
Men Will Not Cut Prices.-Labor Must Suffer.
Commercial Club Becomes Ally of Labor
Were Not Even Granted Re spectful Hearing By Duluth
Great Representative(?) Business Institution.

been destroyed. It's every action will
be subject to public doubt. When It
shall again begin to chrystallize public
sentiment In attempting to sway legis-
lation before the state legislature, it
will find before it the analytical mind
Of organized labor. It will not be so
easy In the future to make the great
people of Minnesota believe that it is
speaking for all the people in the city
of Duluth when it is fighting the bar>
ties of the great Steel Trust There
will be a day of reckoning yet. Or
ganized labor may be dormant in many
respects, but 1T Never Forgets."
Aid to Selfish Interests.
For some little time the Commercial
club has been used as the left hand
Of certain special interests Its action
of last Wednesday evening capped the
climax. Already some very strong
members have signifled their intention
Of resigning from the club. In one
year, we predict, the decision Of last
Wednesday evening will be repudiated.
The board Of directors of the club
consists largely of employees of great
corporations, doing business in this
city. These gentlemen voiced their
corporate interests at the meeting Of
the board. If the club stood for any
thing, we all along presumed that it
would stand for the promotion of in
dustrial peace in the city.
Union Labor Treated Unfairly.
Organized labor has been treated
unfairly by both the Read Estate Ex-
1ho %lo 1;11 ~,
were at least entitled to respectful
hearing before being convicted. This,
we were denied. We believe we have
the intelligence to present our case to
any body Of enlightened people. That
was what they were afraid Of They
knew real we'll that If the representa-
tives of the unions were given an op-
portunity to appear in person the
truth would be told. There is nothing
that is feared by wrongdoers more
than the truth.
We deny that we have been a detri-
ment to Duluth. All that we ever
sought was a living wage for our labor.
To this much we are entitled At all
times, and in every event labor should
be given the first consideration. It is
our labor and our brains which make
it, possible for, the. wheels OF. industry
to move. You, Mr.. Commercial club
member and your allies, have no more
right to assault us because you are
mentally stronger than us, than you
would have If you were physically
stronger
Our opponents have been leading out
hope to the business interests Of the
city, that in a short time sufficient
number Of mechanics who nave been
working on the range during the sum-
mer will soon be here to take our
places. Be not deceived. Many Of
them are union men. Others are not,
and while there may be non-union men
among them, do not labor under the
delusion that they will "scab" That
is the last resort of degenerated
workingnan.
During our long experience in the
labor movement we have never seen
the time when workingmen were so
! well united. The attack is different in
this lockout than in any previous in
dustrtal upheaVal. Organized labor is
on the defensive. That is our long
suit. In this we differ from other
kinds of fighting. We are fighting now
in the defense Of our homes. Men
fighting in such cause never lose.