The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-01-18
HYPOCRISY OF UNION SNASHfRS
=. ON The APPRENTICE QUESTION
The Poverbal Crocodile Tears Never
In the Hypocrical solicitude Of Labos Opponents For
the Non Union Laborer., Eta1 u =.
No Intelligent Man Believes For Moment Winners
Have Any Interest Whaeverin the Future Well Being of
the Average American Boy. ~ =" = =

ings, they work like maniacs. No
engineer would drive a. machine the
way flesh and blood machines are
driven. Nobody knows this better
than the workingman. himself, and he
ambitions an easier job for his son.. It
is all very well to tell him that the
labor of the man with the pick and
shovel is as noble as the labor of the
judge on the bench. No doubt it is,
but the man who handles the pick
and shovel today wants to see his son
on the bench tomorrow. He doesn't
care a hang who'll dig tomorrow's
ditch.
Moreover, there is another consider
alton to, be taken into account. II
there are many young men idle, is It
not because their sisters have stolen
their, jobs? The "undomesticated
American girl is responsible for more
than she weuld like to admit to her
self. There is no use in preaching at
her and telling her to do thus. and SO,
she is going to have, her own sweet
! will anyhow. But, at the same. time
she can ssee for herself. that her boast-
ed independence and progressiveness
have another side to them. r Z
= Cheap Labor the Object.
We are not now speaking Of those
who have to work, but we are speak,
ing Of those who don't need to work,
| or who could find plenty of employ
ment at home, or who might easily
busy themselves in the avocatfons
traditionally set aside for women, but
we speak Of those VINO work because
others are working, or through sheer
| dislike for home, or because they want
to rival man in every .direction-they
are responsible that their own broth
! ers are standing with their backs to
the wall, idle. No matter what people
may say, women's work Is not paid as
we'll as mems work, and never will.
The great reason why women were
employed in the beginning is, that they
were cheaper. OF course in certain
branches, such as teaching, things
have come to such a pass now that
only women prepare for them:
We don't know that this state OF
things is going to last, and, We, don't
know that it is going Q be changed.
The persistence Of female labor in
1
some form or other is extraordinary
! American travellers come back from
Europe and >declaim against the bar
| barism of Germany or italy wnere
the women, work in the field. We
don't know that their work is any
more exhausting than work in the
canneries ormthe cotton mills, or that
it is any more nerveracking than the
work of>the tens of, thousands Of girls
who. at evening pour out Of the great
hives we call office buildings. We
have female labor just as long, just as
nard, as they have it in Europe, only
the form of it is changed.
But what we mean is this. If young
men are idle in our American cities,
it is. not fair to throw all THE blame
of it on the apprentice system devised
J by union labor. It will be found that
| the predominating cause is to be found
in the disinclination Of the employer to
! pay a mans wages for a manss work.