The sun., 1908-11-24

A viserous Hxpositisa of the Trades
Union DRofrinA.

/ Z u
A vigorous Exposition Of the Tradeh
Union DOotrine.
To TIE EpIToR Or THE sUSLSk: Mr..
=. 8. Cooleys reply TO my letter on Mr.van
Cieave and his association is very unsatis.
factory. might say eyasiye. and Ia more
defence than reply. The orux OF the whole
argument lies In what Mr.. Cooley con.
siders properly conducted labor union
To Judge from his letter O complete sub.
! servienoy to tho employer In all matters
| affecting wages and trade conditions Ia
an essential characteristic. The opinions
OF the workingman on questions W blch affect
him Just as much as the employer should
receive no consideration when they dlner
from those OF the employer. He' objects
quite seriously to demands OF trades unions
for beneficial labor laws. He objects to
the legislation which safeguards life and
limb In mills and factories. He objects
to the law which has eredicated In many
States the evils OF child labor. He objects
to the eight hour law. which permits work.
ingman to have n few hours for recreation
and education.
In objecting to these laws the Manu-.
facturers Association Is actuated by pure.
ly personal and selfish interests. Very
few Of It's members rise above tho sordid,
for they view all questions from the stand
" N
large q profit as is possible. and any law
which tends to decrease their gain and
assure to the <workingman a fairer share
In the products which he helps produce
is to be opposed. Mr.. Van Cleave and his
associates look upon the workingman asa
mere piece OF machinery. Of which there
is a superabundance on the market. and
hence is 1t cheaper to discard than 70 con-
serve. SO why protect the life and limb
of an employee when it costs less to get
another man to take his place?
Their chief aim is to get the workinsmsn
to labor with as great an intensity as posi-
Bile, never mind how soon he wears out
But society has decreed otherwise lt
recognizes that the skill and inteligen
Of the worker are directly proportional
to his standard Of living and time for recre-
ton OF this fact that labor legislation has
When Mr.. Cooley says that the chief OBJ
should % work, how long one should work and and
what ones output should be he is misrepre.
senting LABOR organizations in general
shall produce. Neither do they say to
other than their members how long one shall
work or Who & shall @ work; , What they do say
q manufacturer for SO much, provided that
PGy 9o 70 9neo aeosp sS tbs
shop" 9ertides this: What the working men
done + # s
unity lies the strength which alone can,over-
come the advantage possessed by the en-
because trades unions do away with these
advantages that Mr. Van Cleave Is such an
ardent advocate Of the open shop"
handicapped in making a wage contract.
Firstly his labor resembles q perishable COM
modify in that 1t must be sold each day II
ployer usually possesses a superior Bnowl-
edge of trade conditions. More intelli-
gent as a rule. he can often persuade or force
tRsn ought to be- s''fRs TRe % tSrd % rS
results from the actual or tacit agreement
Sais shfSls sR ss@absys i
manifest a strong reluctance TO spoil the
ia Dor market. even when not combined in
them conservatiye regarding The sdvsaco o
ing Of wages. These three disadvantages
make the workingman inferior to the en-
the the %workingman ma organized the labor union IoT''
Mr.. Cooley also said that the Manu-
facturers Association is not Opposed to
saying that it is not opposed to them II you
The purpose 9f labor unions in general
To do this they bargain as
e body with the employer regarding wages,
n6S dst6sts f GssSe S9eS5 to
labor. conditions and agitate for issisls.
lion to promote labor interests. To be
jeCts, Firstly. they are orsanized to r resist
keep the workin gTnan Informed az to. rates
him from making bad bargains. Thirdly.
hey inform themselves as regards the
general market conditions and force the
lions are favorable more promptly than they
would without coercion.
sys S the sd sseTfse shs S ,nsss
lion are opposed. These powers are the
very essence OF trades unionism, and when
to sbof unions os FOR 8itSoat R.ss
rights labor unions would exist only In
name.
snacted which would define the position
,f our judiciary. toward the questions aris-
There is nothing In this charge that reflects
On labor, Labor has come out In the open
md sale. that the courts OF the country have
doctrines In their decisions
which which. are s,I At va. war with the principles Of
stripped the JUDICIAL branch Of our Govern
nent that the Judges are as blind men gIopz
abor's effort in this direction is reprebens-
'le. then we plead guilty.
Inswer four questions: Have the trades
lnionists as much right to petition and
influence Congress as the Manufactures
ire the following abroeated or abridged:
Congress shall make no law respecting
n establishment OF religion or prohibit
he freedom of speech or OF the press. or
he right OF the people peacefully to Assem-
Of y so
he open shop Is such a good thing. what
as IL done to ameliorate the condition OF
he workingman as regards low wages
nd unhealthy conditions? What Is the OBJ
BOT of the Manufacturers Association?
DAVID MACKAI,
President Central Association OF Build-
ing Trades ..'