The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-09-05
LABOR UNIONS DEFENDED BY THE
FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NATION


our social problems. as l go to the
leaders OF any business or profession.
cannot pay too high tribute TO the
worth and integrity oil these men-to
their sincerity and good judgment as
leaders. But no movement-no lead
crship-however earnest and honest,
can endure unless the rank and flle
live up TO their duties. and search for
such leadership, and support II when
they find It, II the best men in a
labor union leave It's management and
control to men Oi a poorer type, the
effect Will be just as disastrous as
when citizens in a city follow the
same course as regards city govern.
ment The stay-at-home man in u
union is just as much responsible for
the sins of omission and commission
OF his organization as the stay at.
home man in city IS for the civic
conditions under which he suffers and
about which he complains
All that can properly be done should
Ge done by all OF us to help upward
the standard of living and 10 improve
the ability OF the average man TO
reach that standard. There are still
III lbt Onllsu olGlte HIcdl luuo0tS VI
skilled and unorgani2ed labor, whose
conditions OF work and living are
harsh and pitiable. 1t Is O shocking
indictment of our industrial condl-
ton 10 be told in matteT-of-couTse
way in a government report that thou
sands of workers in this country are
compelled to toll every day in the
week, without one days rest for n
wage OF So a month. Such a condi.
ton Is bad for them. and. in the end,
bad for all OF uS Our commercial de-
Velopment should be heartily encour-
aged. but 1t must not be allowed TO
Commercialize our morals.
1t is not merely tho duty of the wage
Garner. but 1t ls also the duty OF the
general public, TO see that he has safe
and healthy conditions under which TO
carry on his work No worker should
be compelled, as condition OF earn
ing his daily bread, to risk his life
and limb OF be deprived of his
health. or have 70 work under danger
Gus and bad surroundings Society
owes the worker this because Ii owes
as much to itself. He should not be
compelled To make this a matter OF
contract he ought not TO be left 10
fight alone Tor decent conditions in
this respect His protection In the
place where he works should be guar
anteed by the law OF the land. In
other words. he should be protected
during his working hours against
greed and careleSsness on the part OF
unscrupulous and thoughtless employ
eTS, just as outside OF those working
hours both he and his employer arc
protected in their lives and property
against the murderer and thief.
When Labor is Abused.
This opens 4 vitally important field
OF legislation TO the national govern.
ment and TO the state alike. 1t is hui
initiating to think how far We OF this
country are behind most OF the other
countries in such matters. Practically
all civilized countries have, for more
than decade, prohibited by the
5trictest regulations the poisonous
match industry; yet We had not done
anything at all until very recently 10
protect the laborerS against this hor
Iible danger The national govern
ment made an investigation a year
ago into this Industry which showed
a condition of things unSpeakably
shocking and revolving. Legislation
to prevent these abuses was introduc-
ed in congress, which was not passed
Since then the companies in fault
have ostentatiously announced that
they have done away with the OBJ
iectionably conditions. | hope so !;
but whether they have or not, a law
should be passed In stringent form
TO prevent any possible backsliding.
So it is IN the matter OF injuries TO
employees In what is called ''em-
ployer's liability legislation other In
dustrIal countries have accepted the
principle that the industry must bear
the monetary burden of its human
sacrifices, and thet The employe who
ls injured shall have fixed and def
mite sum. The United States still pro-
ceeds on an outwoTn and curiously im-
proper principle. In accordance with
which It has too often been held by
the courts that the frightful burden
of the accident shall be borne in its
entirety by the very person least able
to bear IT, Fortunately. In a number
Of states-in Wisconsin and In New
York. for instance-thcse defects In
our Industrial life are either being
remedied or else are being made a
subject OF intelligent study with the
view of their remedy In New York
a bill embodyine moderate compensa-
ton for accidents has already been
passed. Other states Will undoubted-
IL follow IN the same path. The fed
eral government has. so far as its
own employees are concerned, been tho
first to recognize and put into shape
this principle. However. this pioneer
law was not made comprehensive
enough; IL does not cover all the en-
rloyes of the federal government that
ought to come within its provisions,
and the amount paid for permanent
disability or death is entirely made.
ouate. Nevertheless, it was a great
step In advance to have this principle
Of workingmen's compensation accept
cd and embodied in the federal stat
utes and the recent action OF con-
gress In providing for commission
In study and report upon the subject
gives promise that the some brincl.
ple will soon be applied 10 private
firms that come within the jurisdic-
ton OF the federal government
Women and Children Need Protection
Women and children should. be-
yond all question. be protected. and
In their cases there can be no ques-
ton that the states should act They
should be particular objects Of our
soliciude; and they should he guard.
ed In an effective fashion against the
demands OF too greedy commercial.
Ism. on my recent trip In the neigh
torl,cod 81 Scranton and Wllkesbarr,