The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-12-21
ORGANIZATION THE !.
SAFEGUARD Of LABOR
Selfish Considerations the Basic
Principles Of all Opposition
to the Labor Movement.
Hirelings of Monopoly Most Sub
tie Foes With Which Union
ism Has to Contend.

The following very interesting ar
ticle was sent us tor publication in
the Labor World by Mrs. Margaret
Scott Hall of Kirkwood, Ga. A poem
entitled Don't Be TOO COnfiding"
which appears in another column is
also from the pen of Mrs. Scott.
"They are slaves who fear to speak
For the fallen and the weak
They are slaves who dare not be
In the right with two Or three"
Organization is live topic. It's in
f)uence has made itself acknowledged
all over the country. The necessity
Of the times drove the toiler to seek
this mode of self-protection.
Power of Organization.
Organization has grown to be
powerful controlling element in all in
dustrial life.
Its continuous struggle. for better
conditions, its alternate victories and
defeats, even it's family rows, or in
other words. the difference of opinion
that has seethed red hot in the ranks
of organized labor, its determined re-
sistance of oppression-all proves be-
yond question the remarkable devel-
opment of unionism. Organization
meets the demand of modern progress.
hence it is not SO much fad as
| necessity-the natural result Of mod
ern requirements.
"Idleness is "a sin and labor is a.
duty" Organization is the safe guard,
the brotherhood, protecting labor from
becoming the prey of Incidence and
! avarice. Personal motives Or selfish
interests are usually the basic prin-
ciples of dislike to the labor union.
Monopoly Opposes Labor.
Disapprobation and denunciation Of
the union generally comes from
| source interested in monopoly. Those
who would abuse the cause of labor
| we find on investigation, are in some
way lining their own pockets at the
| expense of the poor-are either the
operators or the hirelings Of monopoly.
| 1t is a royal thing to labor and it Is
an honorable course to demand a rea-
sonable share of it's results; it is
! commendable endeavor that. leaving
plenty for the master, would life the
| man above PERJURY.
Labor Unions Redeem.
! A laboring class that sinks lower
! into poverty and degradation year by
year, forcing little children, Grrespec-
! tive Of sex) into mine and mill and
sweatshop to meet the expense of a
pitiful existence and supply the in
satiate craving of those whom they
! serve-a laboring class that gropes
hopelessly on in the dense cloud of
! ignorance and the coarse vices of the
! slums. Such a class is reproof to
| any nation. Labor unionism strives
to save American liberty from the dis
| grace Of sustaining such a class. The
mistaken financial policy Of the pres
ent time is to build up fabulous in
| dividual fortunes, and regulations for
noble philanthropy by subsequent do
nations to charity. Unionism strives
| against the increase of pauperism and
the corresponding necessity for char
( ity, by giving labor chance to i'm
prove its own conditions.
Provides Against Want.
| Unionism claims to create a wage
system that would save something
| over the expense of scant existence
! for the laborer that when sickness or
other disaster befalls he would not
become mendicant; unionism would
| raise it's toilers to higher plane of
! mental, physical, moral and spiritual
| development, by shorter hours of work
and more time for rest and cultivation
Of such natural faculties as@they pos
| sess.
| Every individual, according to his
capacity, has a personal responsibility
and Influence in the world for good
| q not
careless and >habitually selfish be-
cause the kindnessess we find to do
seem to us insignificant.
God gives us all some small, sweet
way
| TO set the world rejoicing"
| value of Influence.
Though our influence may count In
! proportion as mite among Millions
| still let it be directed for good and
not evil; for the weak against oppres-
sion, and according to the dictates Of
conscience, always for right-against
wrong. Experience has taught the
workingman to avoid past errors and
look to his own efforts, rather than
the employers to formulate plans for
7 the improved conditions of his class,
The labor union is the best m\ans
to the desired end that has so far t\en
| evolved from the chaos of discord o YER
! high prices for the necessities of life,
and disproportionate pay for work.
! No one may plan to revolutionize the
world, but thorough organization, in
| telligently directed, cannot fail to ac-
| complish much for the just cause Of
| humanity's uplifting.