The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-03-28
TENURE QE @fa6fY
/. IN TRADES unions
Most Prosperous Unions Make the
Fewest Changes in Executive
Heads.
Experienced Men Are the Most
Successful in Dealing With
Labor's PROBLEMS.
BY n. A. McANARNEY,

BY n. A. McANARNEY,
Members Of trades unions who pro-
fess to believe in frequent changes in
the personnel Of the executive officers
of national unions merely to give
someone else a chance" have little
knowledge. of the labor movement. The
labor organization which have made
the greatest progress and have main
tained the stability of the chain Of fed
Grated labor are those which have
made the fewest changes in their exc
cutive heads. The scheme Of frequent
change is one of the stock suggestions
of manufacturers association speakers
and writer's. 1t is a good thing-for
then-because it keeps the working
people involved in domestic wrangle
to the detriment of their material well
fare"
Locomotive Engineers.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers has had but two chiefs in 80
years-Chief Arthur, who died in Of
fee, and Chief Stone. The knights Of
Labor attained its greatest pre-emin-
ence when it paid the least attention
to the changing of it's officials. 1t had
until the members began experiment.
ing with untried men as executive Of
fcers, casting aside the broad expert
ence and tempered judgment of such
leaders as Terence V. Powderly: The
American Federation Of Labor and
Samuel Gompers are almost synony-
nous. After one unfortunate change at
it's head, the old master was called to
the helm. And the Federation has
steadily forged ahead. The Cigarmak-
ers in 80 years have had Strasser AMI
Perkins; the Machinists and O'Conne'l
have gotten along since the trade was
organized; the Miners with Mitchell
have prospered; the Granite Cutters
and Duncan have kept abreast with
the demands of the time. The men,
bers Of these organizations have
learned that industrial progress is
more assured under the leaders who
have proved their capacity than under
those who would like to prove it. TT
was mistake is poor consolation 10
the man who must bear the burdens
of the fatal error of change without
sound cause. And these burdens mean
something. They mean longer hours
Of labor and lower wages; they mean
despairing wives and ragged children:
they? mean more fuel for factory ex-s
ploitation. There is only one justif-
cation for such a schange-incompeten
leadership.
James M. Lynch is a candidate for
reelection as president of the I. T. Z.
His opponents do: not declare that the
organization has not prospered under
his administration: They cannot truth
fully do so because the history Of his
leadership is d denial Of it. The only
demand they make for change is
that he has been in office long enough.
I do not so lightly esteem the intelli-
gence of the printers of the country
as to believe that such senseless ap-
peal will have any weight with them
on election day. They know what they
have gained in the last eight years,
and most Of them realize that his ex-
perience will rebound to their future
benefit.
When Mr.. Lynch was first elected
the membership was $4,000. In 1906,
six years afterward, it was $4,000. This
gain was made mostly in the country
towns. When the eight-hour strike
became necessary, owing to the fool,
ish policy of, the employing printers,
! these country printers were not a
bludgeon with which to knock down
and beat into submission the printers
of the cities. They were inmmovable.
And the printers won their eight-hour
strike because the field from which the
employers had hoped to recruit its
strikebreakers was in possession Of the
union. It was the foresight Of Mr..
Lynch and his ability as an organizer
which eliminated this source Of sup-
ply.
The unorganized printer of the
small cities had always been menace
until Mr.. Lynch took hold. He Is a
problem whose answer has been solved
by the charter that hangs on the wall
of his meeting place and the gospel Of
unionism that is implanted in his
heart. And 1t was James NJ Lynch
who put it there. The typographical
union has prospered with Lynch at<its
head, and the printers Of this continent
know it. Far from there being need OF
| change in officials, there is an abso-
lutte necessity of maintaining the great
progress of the last eight years by re-
electing Mr.. Lynch so overwhelmingly
that, the typothetae and its emissarics
will be stunned forever.