The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-10-07
DRoNEs OF UNIoNIsM

through ignorance prejudice or in
difference.
The ignorant non-unionists is usually
one who comes from rural commu-
nifty where there are no unions and where
sentiment for or against unions is pract-
caiiy uniformed Such a wage Garner
may have been a stout champion of the
union cause or avowed enemy, de-
pending somewhat upon the amount of
respect shown by union men. The
union member who talks against the
union and ISLANDERS its officers keeps
ment.
The pre- udiced non-unionist may be
one whose prejudice was created in the
manner just indicated, or he may be
prejudiced by education along narrow
lines or by youthful environments. He
knows even less than the ignorant, be-
cause, being entirely ignorant of the
history, achievements and purposes of
the union movement, he thinks he knows
it all.
lie may be unionist by choice
because, being entirely ignorant of the
field of industry is wholly distorted.
IL h's exaggerated opinion Oh ms own
individual Importance and of his own
superior rights he sometimes becomes a
scab, in which case he not only injuries
his fellows, but himself as well, and can
find his sole reward in the title of Gin
dustrial hero' conferred on him and
his kind by that eminent authority on
union and industrial matters, ex- Presi-
dent Eliot Of Harvard
But in these days of schools and pub.
locations the Ignorant and pre,iudiced
non -unionists are not so numerous as to
be dangerous. 1t were far better for
them and for the movement if they we're
good union members; but, as ignorance
and prejudice are expelled by that broad
intelligence born of the association in
unions of men of many minds and spread
through the various industries from man
to man, the ignorant and prejudiced are
far outnumbered by the Indifferent.
The Indifferent non-unionists is simp-
ly 80 much driftwood floating about with
the tide lie accepts conditions as he
finds them. He will neither exert him
self to better himself nor will he give
even his passive support to the efforts of
Others. The only thing he can do is
growl He growls at the job, the boss.
the union and himself.
Occasionally he is swept into the
union when the rising tide engulfs the
place where he happens to be employed
Such benefits come to him as a re
suit of union efforts he accepts as a
matter of course, never giving credit to
anyone and especially not to the union
And such union benefits do come to
non -unionists of all clases
1t is readily admitted that if unions
did not exist that wage-earners would
be working for less than half their pres
ent wages This includes non,unionists
as well unionists.
The first effect of a union is to tend
to protect existing wages against re-duct-
ION In this insurance non-unionsts
reap benefit, though they contribute
nothing. Labor travels to the points
where the highest wages are paid, and
when wages are forced up at one point
competing points often have to advance
wages to keep labor.
In this case the non -unionists does not
usually reap so large advantage as
the unionist, but he gets an indirect bene.
hit from the union struggle, for which he
contributes nothing, and these benefits
and others more less direct could not
come to him if the union did not exist
and yet he contributes neither time nor
money to the cause
Now, if these substantial benefits have
accrued to all workers, union and non
union, because a fraction of them were
united in unions in which a still smaller
fraction did all the work. how much
greater would the result be if the ranks
of the union We're swelled by adding the
non unionists?
There are too many industrial ingrates
who want to go through life living on
the unions and giving nothing to the
union cause in return.
In the present age no man can live his |
life apart from his fellows
Our civilization is interdependcnt. |
You are bound to leave some sort of i'm |
preston on society. either good or bad. |
You are bound to reap benefits from
our highly organized government and |
industry.
1t IS for you to say whether YOU will |
do your share in supporting the move
ment to collect honey.