The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-06-30

ers, perhaps newly arrived immi grants,
when it has been proposed to try to
spread the light of the trade union
among them. But time and occasion
have shown that they could be organized,
and that when organized they could add
% or even 80 per cent to their wages.
lit $ impossible!' WAS the general
exclamation when trade agreements were
first proposed. Later, after few sue
cesses, the impossibility was to be with
the occupations not yet tried. The
doubling Thomases were found loud
voiced in every trade. But, for all that,
trade agreements have become one of the
leading features of modern America un.
iOnism.
1T 5 impossible! The eight hour
movement in its infancy was utopianism.
Its promoters were ridiculous impracti-
cables. Their campaign cry was mere
sound-not even being worthy of serious
counter argument. No industry could
pay, with eight hours. Impossible for
that one reason; eight hours went
to the impossible class to be ignored by
its opponents until they walked up to see
eight hours established in many indus.
tries about them.
1t 5 impossible!'' The union label
was foolish, etfectless, worthless a graft
ing scheme, not a factor i'll trade union.
ism-until it was honestly and thoroughly
tried. So, also, it was good enough for
the cigarmakers, but was of no account
for the printing trade-until it went on
millions of dollars worth of printing
yearly. 1t WAS of no help in organizing
generally until it brought into the unions
many Il factory that couldn I be reached
by other means.
1t s impossible!'' The solution of
the convict labor problem was an i'm.
possibility when every penal institution
in the country could be used rs a means
of enriching contractors and pauperizing
tree labor. 1t was needed a heartbreak.
ing public question. How many Iegisla.
lures were besieged by trade-unionist
committees before the means were dis.
covered by which contract prison labor
could be abolished. How many union
committeeman We're told that they were
wasting their time-that they were sense
less labor agitators-bcfore the wise
Legislators in certain States learned that
contract prison labor ought to be i'm
possible! The fight is still on, but to
good extent the impossible has become
the possible.
1t s impossible! 1t was said of
other great moves made by organized
Labor whom
more impossible than the referendum now
employed by nearly every international
trade union and now in the constitution
OF half dozen States. To prevent
wage reductions WAS to be utterly i'm
possible after the crisis of 1907. but
nevertheless wages did not go down. and
they have recently in not few occu.
pations taken good advances To abolish
overtime, to prevent child labor. to re.
strict women s labor, all this was i'm
possible not only to opponents but to
many wage-worker whose head has
bowed to the yoke so long that successful
rebellion against wrong seemed impossi.
BILE.
To the unimaginative, the unsansuine,
'''N ''Aii SCI IHc Ine DelleNer IN
things as they are because they are, i'm
possibilities hedge their way through life.
Every just claim of the workers. every
bold plan for their aid, every assertion
against the abuse of authority, every
blow struck for one s self and the work
ers generally, is but foolish effort sure to
end at the impossible
Go back far enough, and the trade
union was impossible, the minimum wage
scale was impossible, the union shop was
impossible.
GU who are confronted with Difficult.
ties do not halt at the impossible Glance
back over the story of the trade union
ISM, see the impossibilities that it has
made possible, and push forward to rem
der your hopes for the men and women
of Your craft or calling realities.
Fellowworkers. Forward Organ.
ize, Unite! Federate!-American Fed