The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-02-11
WATCHWORD FOR 1910
Labor Can Be Successful Only
So Far as 1t UniteS.
POWER OF CONCENTRATION.


lists Must Heed-Workers Should
Profit by the Example of Employers.
Unity Means Strength.
The year 1909 was one of trial to
labor unions.
The slow resumption of normal bust
ness activities, following the panic of
two years ago, operated against con-
tinuous employment, which, in turn,
tended to prevent wages from rising
In proportion to the increased cost Of
living.
A tariff bill was passed by congress
which seems to have given the large
interests a more thorough control
than ever, and consequently wage
earners are confronted with higher
prices for the necessaries of life.
The year just gone witnessed the
Inauguration of new president of the
United States. elected by the conserv-
alive and property interests and whom
labor may expect to look at all indus
trial questions, whether legislative or
judicial with eyes trained to see and
protect the vested rights Of property
at all hazards.
The courts during the past year at
least temporarily made another ad-
vance in their apparently settled pol
icy of extending their jurisdiction or,
as Jefferson said. making more bust
ness" by assuming right of censor
ship over the constitutionally guaran-
teed personal right of freedom Of
speech and of the press.
The various associations Of employ
ers are active and making desperate
efforts to get the employers united to
fight labor.
Now, while outside the ranks of
union labor we find that during the
year 1909 considerable progress was
made in uniting or in consolidating
employing interests, In judicial en-
croachments upon the rights of labor
for future commanding use, what was
going on inside Of labors ranks?
Has labor shown the same effort
or disposition to unite, to consolidate
and to concentrate that is manifested
by those who are naturally inclined to
oppose every movement by labor for
shorter hours or higher wages?
Truth compels us to admit that the
year 1909 was unusually full of fac
tional strife in labor's ranks.
The electrical workers controversy
alone has caused the revocation Of
charters of several A. f. of l.. state
branches and numerous Central Labor
unions with much resultant i'll feeling.
No difference, however grave, within
any union can be of sufficient impor
lance to warrant split. If those who
believe a certain way are in minority
they should abide by the will of the
majority, and if they are in the major
ity they will eventually prevail if they
stay In the ranks. If they violate the
principles of unionism by leaving the
ranks they do not deserve to prevail.
Had the quarrels between the fac
lions of electrical workers been settled
within the union the strife would not
have injured the general labor move
ment very much, if at all.
And if all members of other unions
had refused to encourage or recognize
any split in the electrical workers the
general labor union movement would
not have been injured much by the
electrical workers controversy.
Other illustrations could be given of
fractional strife injurious to the labor
movement, but the foregoing will serve
as examples to prove the necessity for
unionists generally to get fixed In their
minds the one great central fact that
the cause of labor can only be success
full in proportion as those who toll
unite as one.
Every movement toward one means
concentration of power and makes for
success. Every movement away from
one means dissipation of power and
makes for failure.
There is no argument possible to JUS
tify the division Of labor into indie
pendent factions.
1t is wholly inconsistent with the
oneness essential to success and is alb
solutely indefensible.
If capital does all the uniting, con-
solidating and concentrating and labor
does all the dividing and quarreling
the certain result must be the further
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of capital and enslave-
ment of labor.
If the wage earners will learn this
one lesson from the experience of 1909
their chances of betterment in 1910
will he vastly improved.
The watchword for 1910 should be
that, regardless of who or what may
stand in the way, all wage earners