The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-06-29
SOCIAL PROGRESS DUE
To ADVANCE Of LABOR
President Gompers Points Out
How Benefits Are Derived
From Strikes.
Essence of Prosperity Is Due to
Larger Use and Consumption
of Products.

June Federationist how laEor's ad-
vance is the basis of social progress
as follows
Throughout the country, numbers
of men are engaged In trade move
ments to Increase wages. to reduce
the hours Of labor, to obtain improved
working conditions. With these
movements has come general howl
tocratic press. These gentry can not
understand the "reasonableness" of
the workers demands nor the neces-
sity of strikes which are sometimes
inaugurated to achieve them.
Attitude on Strikes.
OF course no one who has given the
subject of strikes and lockouts any
considerable attention can stoutly adj
vocate recourse to them. But we ask
any fair-minded man to point out
definitely what the working people
are to do situated as they are.
On every hand prices Of commodi
ties have risen; the commonest neces-
stiles Of life have become enormously
enhanced. What are the workers to
do under such circumstances to meet
|
await the philanthropic impulse Of
their employers to voluntarily in
crease wages and grant improved con-
ditions? Has experience shown the
wisdom of Mr.. Baer's (of coal strike
fame) erstwhile claim that the en-
| ployers are Gods trustees of the
worlds goods anil that under their
charitable stewardship the workers
| must, with sublime faith, plate their
interests and welfare?
Generous Employers Occasionally.
Indeed, here and there may be
found an employer generously and
| considerably inclined who will grant
not only fair wages but also other
! reasonable labor conditions. But
taken as concrete proposition, Moth
ing has been brought to Labor upon
silver platter. All the toilers have
achieved in material Improvement has
been compelled by sheer power of
| organization, of Intelligence, of grit;
by their willingness to bear tempo
rary burdens and make momentary
sacrifices that better conditions of
labor and of life shall be secured for
themselves, for those dependent upon
| them, for those who may come after
! them.
When Strikes Are Necessary.
Having participated in strikes as
well as having observed them in all
their phases, we repeat that no one
can, be a.: sturdy advocate OF a. re-
! course to them. But when the.Amer-
lean standard Of life and wlth'it many
good, character, and independence is
threatened, and no relief may be OBJ
| tanned by any other course than a
| strike, pray what would our wise
acres Of the antagonistic PRESS advise
the working people to do? An in
| crease in the cost Of living without
an increase in wages is equal to a re-
! duction in wages. Shall we. wait and
| wait until employers shall voluntarily
concede increased wages? To follow
that course the workers might as well
believe in the notions preached to
them of old, to be content with their
lot here on earth and hope for the
good things in the great beyond. This
sacrllegious view is now no longer
seriously presented to the workers.,
| for all realize that in the material af-
fairs of this mundane sphere mankind
has it's destinies in it's own keeping;
| that If the workers would partake of
the fruits Of their tolls the benefits Of
our civilization, they must achieve
them by their own efforts.
Who Will Be Free?"
Those who would be free, them
selves must strike the blow" is as
true now as ever In the history Of
! man, and eternal vigilance is a much
| the price Of material advancement
| now as it is. or ever was, the price
of liberty. Out Of all the hostile
abuse Of labor in it's efforts to pro-
tect its rights and interests, there is
| not suggestion as to any other man.
! ner Of safeguarding them.
When employers refuse to meet
representatives Of employees or when
| they haughtily and summa.ily refuse
Workmens requests for improved
conditions, what recourse but the
strike is there open to the men? ?
Much as we deplore and seek to avoid
strikes, when such an alternative is
presented we have no hesitancy in de-
clar1ng that the workers would be less
than men did they not strike and
strike persistently to win.
| Labor's Demands Increasing.
| Wealth is produced in such prodi-
| gious proportions in our time as
would daze the most Utopian dreamer
of while ago. The genius Of today
and of all bygone ages lays it's gifts
at the feet of man. The wheels of
industry turn with rapidity un:
parallel in human history. Labor
the most important element in all hu-
man industrial effort, dema nds from
modern society fuller and constant
lily increasing share in the product of
this genius and industry. It will
press this demand with increasing
persistency and intelligence today, to-
morrow, and tomorrow's tomorrow.
Increased Use of Goods,
In passing it may not be amiss to
say that the very essence Of the pros
perity of which we hear so much
nowadays is due TO the larger use and
consumption of things produced. This
is possible through the higher wages
Of today over those of the past. It is
| on11, fhro,1ph hiphar 1uooc o,s -