The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1909-11-19
TIE ULTIMATE COAL
What Organized Labor Aims to
Do For Mankind.
THE GROWTH OF UNIONiSM.

Under the Spur of Organized Oppos-
ton by Employers Wageworkers Are
Rising to Meet the Situation-United
They Are Able to Resist Injustice.
Discussing the question what Is
the Ultimate Goal of Organized La
bor?' in recent issue Of the Boston
Globe, II. Il. Perham, president of the
Order of Railroad Telegraphers out
lines the following program:
There are likely to be many diver
gent opinions in regard to the query
as to what Is the Ultimate Goal of
Organized Labor and this thesis is
submitted as the present view Of one
cheerful citizen who knows there are
others
The necessity for organization among
the wage earnerS in the United
States became apparent only during
the past fifty years. The organization
of those who had capital to invest
made the organization of wage earners
an imperative necessity as a matter of
self preservation. The power of money
is great. but when it is massed by in
corporation to such an extent that it
makes Croesus of old look like a piker
the wage Garner is forced to hustle to
save himself from aDiect slavery;
hence the American Federation of
Labor, with its 116 national and inter
national unions. IS state branches, 5S7
city central bodies GG4 local trades and
federal labor unions and scores of
other unions. brotherhOods and wage
earners' associations not yet affiliated.
But not withstanding the millions of
citizens now identified with the cause
of organized labor the movement is
still in its infancy.
Employers have recently formed or
CARNATIONS for the purpose of stamp
ing out those of the workingmen.
What piflle! They might as well try
to stop the rising tide of the ocean
Good came of the attempt, because by
that means the employer found out
the depth and strength of the work
ingmans movement and how thor
oughly it is in earnest.
Organized labor is today resisting in
justice on the part of the employers
and occasionally Wrestling . little more
of labOrs profits from the boss for the
use of the worker and his family and
by that means steadily strengthening
its position. 1t is settling jurisdiction
disputes between organizations along
broad and sympathetic lines, and the
result will be unity and enhanced op-
portunity for more effective work.
Here and there the ultra conservative
and the red radicals are shying rocks
Mt one another (metaphOrically speak
ingl. but they will eventually discover
common ground upon which both sides
can stand and unitedly gain victories
over constituencies greed. grasping
| cunning and the Iawless rich.
Tomorrow it will be resolving itself
| into cooperative societies for the pur-
pose of distribution of its product
among its members along equitable
! lines: also devising means of becom-
| ing itself the employer by inStitutinG
manufacturing plants of its own.
! In the not distant future it will elect
| its own members to the congress and
the legislature to solve those larger
problems that unionism and cO-opera-
! ton cannot touch. The money ques-
ton. the wage problem, the land sub
iect. the tax riddle. are some of the
larger nuts they will be called upon to
crack. 1t is futile to expect that any
but working people will satisfactorily
answer those conundrums.
The goal will be reached when we
have achieved peace, prosperity and
happiness for the citizens of the Unit
ed States and commenced PROSECUTING
among other nations to solve their veX-
cd questions in the same manner as
we have done.
The United States is the hope of the
world at the present time. Its citizens
must make good by showing the down
trodden and oppressed of other nations
how to emancipate themselves from
MI kinds Of slavery by intelligent,
forceful. vet harmonious action.