United labor bulletin., 1909-11-26

at or tolerate it's division into hostile
camps on the remaining 364 days?
working men, of all countries, unite.
What does it mean?
1t is possible that some think the work
ers may accomplish more if united on
the remaining 364 days.
There are several reasons why one
should disagree with this view.
1. The total of organized wage earners
is a small minority of the body of voters
3. The operation of political remedies
is slow and men may starve while they
wait.
8. While there are employers, there
must be unions of employees, to ask or
they will not receive.
4. The effect of united action industri-
ally is often immediate, or nearly always
so if defense as well as offense is con-
sidered 1t has to do with the daily strug-
gle for bread and butter, and is not
wholly dependent on Supreme Courts,
constitutional amendments, or votes in
other states.
And finally, it does not seem that in
dustrial division can in any way promote
political unity. There are, no doubt,
members of this union interested in va
rious types of reforms who will hardly
expect hostile labor factions to walk in
harmony to the polls.
In many cases zeal to advance party
principle may lead to tacit encourage
ment to factional division of the forces
of labor, and it may be said that sincerity
of purpose may be sufficient excuse for
the fault.
1t is not clear that it is material wheth-
er the effect is the result of accident or
design. An honest blunderer may, be-
cause of the very appearance of sincerity,
do more damage than a designing knave.
If one is to pose as a competent Mes
siah to guide the forces of labor correct
ly for one day in the year, he should be
able to find some other way of starting
than to begin with creating, or acquiesc-
ing in, the division of labor into indus
trial fragments the remaining 364 days
in the year.
one guilty of temporizing with craft dis
union for opportunist purposes.
Some labor papers have remained ST
lent to hold patronage of all factions
when duty called them to utter a clarion
note against dis-union.
Political grafters and fakirs have split
unions whose votes they have been un-
able to deliver for a bribe, regardless of
the ruinous consequences.
Ambitious union office seekers, not big
enough to stand defeat, have chosen to be
large toad in a small puddle, and have
pulled out their immediate following, hop
ing to get an office.
Political exgencies, such as labor
legislation, or the election of Legislators,
sometimes brings honest unionsts to ask
independents and secessionists to unite
with them for election day. A false hope
of harmony even for a day.
Such a movement is sure to be followed
demanding industrial recognition or con-
cessions for the 364 days as the price
of political harmony for the one day.
From thieves, grafters and office seek
ers the union movement can expect
nothing else but an effort to deliver them
hand and foot, or to divide them hand
from foot, but why not the honest men,
whether they be political enthusiasts or
unionists, strive to unite the workers
in the recognized unions of their crafts,
so that they may be more efficient in
dustrially for 364 days in the year?
Is it not fact that all human reforms
have advanced with trades unionism in
the ascendency?
Is it possible for men to unite and re-
main in unions without the level of in
tclligence raising towards the level of
lie best intellects in the body?
Is any particular reform based on in
telligence? If not, is it a reform?
1t seems that with organization and
harmony comes higher intelligence and a
growing support for sound reforms.
Let us unite for every day in the year.
Shoe Worker.