The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-05-08
FACTORS WITH WHICH
LABOR MUST RECKON
Wage Garner Wholly at Mercy Of
Fluctuating Conditions Of
f.. Industrial Field.
BY p. G. PHILLIPS.

=, We live and have our being within
a certain fixed law of the ruling order
y Of the society Of which we are part.
The part we as workers may take
varies as the conditions vary. At
times it seems as though we held the
ruling power, at other times we seem
to have lost all senIblance of power
that we at one time may have held.
The conditions that prevail In the IN
dustrial realm having either a good
or bad effect according to our econ
omic stats at the time the conditions
change. So long as all OF us nave
work, that we may consume the ar
ticles Of production, we find that our
society is prosperous; but just as soon
as we lack work, then we are con-
fronted with a condition Of affairs,
that. may in the near future be
menace to the welfare of all.
Survey of Present Society.
The society Of today is pre-emi-
nently an Industrial one. It's aims as
such do not take into consideration
the welfare of all the people as Is so
gliibly set forth; but has its life and
being in it's right to take from the
one and give to the other, thus evolv-
ing itself into two classes the IN
terests of one being the direct oppo-
site Of the other. We find the men
control the industries Of the country,
sitting in control in it's seat Of gov
ernment watching the interests of the
class Of which they are part, and
directing the law making power to
do it's bidding, while we the members
of the working people sit idly by and
allow them to continue to place before
US a set of conditions that have a
tendency to degrade and humiliate, to
tear down rather than build up.
Are Apparently Retrograding.
1t seems at present apparent to all
that have given the question any
thought, for. the time being at least,
that we are going backward. instead
of moving forward, but how long this
can continue. is not easy to discern
but of this fact we may rest assured
that the intelligence within the work
ing class cannot and what is more
will not allow it's members to be
placed in an unjust position, after it
has learned the direct cause of the
law that has the making Of these in
justices.
Outcome Of Wage System.
The conditions under which the
wage system operates, is one that
leads into slavery, it cannot assume
even in a small measuer to act fairly
between the person who is wage
worker and the person, who is the re-
civer of the product which the wage
worker produces, I do not claim that
the wage worker is any more of a
producer than is the intellectual work
err, they are one and the same, SO long
as they return to society, a labor of
either one kind or the other that is
useful in the field of production. But
there are men who do not return in
services any good but to themselves;
they care not, what injustices may be
happen upon all the people so long
as their ends and aims are not lamp
cred with, that they may enjoy wealth
they have not produced, that they
may live in idleness and ease at the
expense Of those who have labored
hard, to bring from the earth the good
things that are so needful to all In
order to make life worth living, and
earth a paradise.
Notwithstanding our ability to pro-
duce the needs of life, and our knowl-
edge of what our life should be, yet
we are denied the right to enjoy il
becaues a few must retain the bar
barous methods that by rights belong
to systems of the past. We have adj
vanced so rapidly in industry, and We!
so slowly in the art of being able tc
manage the industry in which we pro-
duce wealth.
Danger Turks in System.
1t seems only fair to assume tho
right to state, that as long as little
children are crying Z for crusts OF
bread, while our women are being
compelled by economic need to ente,
the industrial field there to compete
against man as the breadwinner, thus
throwing large numbers Of men on,
employment, causing them to tramp
the country fro one end to the other
begging for work and unable to fine
1t, has concealed within it the force;
that bode i'll to huanity unless soor
corrected.
Its Methods lndefensible.
men who uphold it. If they could sci
forth reasons that were of a substan-
tial nature that things and conditions
must be as they are, for the best well
fare Of all the people then we woulc
have nothing to say, but such is no.
the case. When asked why certain
conditions are, and why they can no
be corrected? We receive in answer
that they cannot or will not if the,
can, and the reason why they will
not do SO is because they cannot, We
when we protest against these wrongs
we are called cranks and anarchist
and the like.
Our country is overrun with wrongs
these wrongs must be righted in orde
; to allow man to grow to the fullest de-
{ velopment Of which he is capable. TIL,
!; man who is fearless and brave, lovin,
( and kind, and the most intelligent O
T all earthly beings will eventual,
{ come into his own, and then we cal
say with the poet. THE dreams tina
* Nations dream will come true.''
G& NOTED LABOR T,EAnER