Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-09-05

States is daily becoming moro alert ana
more Intelligent ana more foresf.l; and
corporation. whether industrial Or non.in-
dustr1al, can endure or permanently
amount to Z seeial force II It does not
harmonise With . Wise and snAshtsned
public opinion. Hitherto Ne. Americans
have .beSn ovsr-oceupied with material
things, and hevs neglected - watoh tho
play Of tho social forces about W. But
now va are awakening from that 1ndif-
ference; and every form Of organisation
rspressntlnG a. important economic, rolit-
teal, or, social force must undssss . closer
scrutiny than ever bSfoS0.
think that the nsxt quarter Of Q
century will 30 important politically In
many ways; ana In mono more 10 than In
the labor movement. Not only are tho
Dement'S Of labor orsaaisatiohs more clear
shortoorntns or vice displayed Ia cesnec-
ton Herewith II also moro clearly under
stood ana more quickly ressnted. The
public 10 growing moro ana moro to ua-
dcrstand that, In Q contest between ersa-
ploysr and employee desperation and
the contestants. but tho interests OF the
third party-tho puhNc-must, be consid-
cred. Anything like lev1tv in prevokinS
q strike, on the one hand or On the other.
10 certain moro ana moro to b. resented
by the public. Strikes are eernsttfaes nee
essary and proper: sosnstilnes they rep
resent tho only way in which, after all
other methods have baen exhausted. It 10
possible for the laboring man TO stand for
his rights; but It must be clearly under
stood that q strike 10 q matter ct last re-
sort. Our Social organization Is teo COM,
pick for US to fail quickly to condemn
those who. with levity or in spirit Of
wanton brutality. bring about far-reaot-
Ing and disastrous interference with Its
normal processes. The public sympathizes
cordially with any movement for . good
standard Of living and for moderate hours
Of employment. u personally, for i'm
stance, cordially believe In an eight-hour
day. and in one day in seven for COM
plete rsst.) Where men ana women arc
worked under harsh and intolerable con-
ditions, ana can secure no relief without
strike. or. indeed. whore the strike Is
clearly undertaken for things which arc
vitality necessary-and then only as Q last
resort-ths public sympathy Vtll favor the
unless such conditions as these are full
filled. Therefore It 10 becoming more
than ever important that the labor move
ment should combine steady. far-seeing
leadership with discipline and control in
its ranks. Dishonest leadership is curse
anywhere in American life, and nowhere
IL It . greater curse than in the labor
movement. II there Is one lesson which I
would rather teach to my fellow-Ameri-
cans than any other: It is to hound down
the dishonest man--no matter what his
condition-and to brush aside with i'm
patient contempt the creature who only
denounces dishonesty when 1t Is found in
some special social stratum. There are
dishonest capitalists. dishonest labor lead
ers. dishonest lawyers. and dishonest
business men: dishonest men Of great
wealth and dishonest poor men; and the
man who 10 q genuine reformer will de-
cline to single out any one type for ex-
elusive denunciation, but will fearlessly
attack the dishonest man as such. when
ever and wherever he is to be found.
Worthy Leaders Available.
For many years have been more or
less closely associated with representative
leaders Of labor unions. Some Of these
men are among my close friends, whom I
respect and admire a. heartily as do
any mon in America. There are some Of
them to whom 90 as freely for assist
apce and guidance, for aid and help, in
making up my mind how to deai with our
social problems, as go to the leaders Of
any business or profession I cannot pay
too high q tuhute to the worth and integ-
rity Of these rnen-to their sincerity and
good Judgment as leaders. But no move
nsnt-no acknowledgements earnest and
honest. can endure unless the rank ana
11ls live up to their duties. ana search
for such leadership. and support It when
they find it. II tho best men in . labor
union leave its management and control
to men Of q poorer type. tho effect will be
just as disastrous as when good citizens
CARDS city government. The stay-at-home
man IN q union IL Just a. much rssponsi-
bic for the sins Of omission and commits
sion Of his organization az the stay-at-
home man in city Is for the civic con-
ditions under which he suffers and about
which he COMPLAINS.
All that can properly be done should
be done by all Of US to help upward tho
standard Of living and to improve the
ability OF the average man to reach that
States great masses Of skilled and unor-
sanized labor. whose conditions Of work
and living are harsh and pitiable. II 10 q
! shocking indictment Of our industrial con-
dition to be told In q natter-of-course
way in q government report that thous-
PEELED to toll everyday in the week. with
out one day rest, for q wage of $45 a
month. Such condition is bad for them
and in the end, bad for all Of US. Our
commercial development should be hear
thy encouraged; but 1t must not be al
lowed to commercialize our morals.
It 10 not merely the duty Of the wage
| Garner, but 1t is also the duty Of tho gen.
eral public, to see that he has safe and
healthy conditions under which to carry
| on ll8 Work. NO "Vrhor % CONi.
PEELED, az a condition Of earning his daily
bread, to risk his life and limb. or be
deprived Of his health, or have to work
under dangerous and bad surroundings
Society owes the worker this because it
owes as much to itself. He should not
be compelled to make this matter Of
contract; he ought not to be left to tight
alone for decent conditions in this respect.
His protection in the place where he
works should be guaranteed by the law Of
the land. In other words, he should be
protected during his working hours
against greed and carelessnsss on the part
| Of unscrupulous ana thoughtless employ
ers Just az outside OF those working
hours both he and his employer are pro-
tected in their Lives and property against
the murderer ana thief.
Far Behind Other Nations.
This opens Q vitaUy important field OF
legislation to tho National government
and to tho state alike. It is humiliating
to think how far we Of this country are
behind most Of tho other countries in
such matters. Practically all civilized
countries have. for moro than decade.
prohibited by the strictest regulations tho
poisonous match industry: yet we had
not done anything at all until very re-
Gently to protect the laborers against this
horrible danger. The National govern
ment made an Investigation a year ago
into this industry. which showed a condi-
ton Of things unspeakably shocking and
revolving. LEGISLATION to prevent these