Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1910-09-08
DANISH SOCIALISTS AT WORK
BY Robert Hunter.

The thing that strikes one most for
chilly about the Socialist and labo,
movement Of Denmark Is it's quiet anf
Intelligent power
There Is very little talk. It has nc
time for the endless discussion and
bitter dissensio6 which so often para
Yves the movement elsewhere.
It IS an eminently practical move
Iment. 1t sets itself to accomplish
quickly and efficiently the task imme-
diately ahead.
u has done Its work wisely and from
the beginning. II has been spared the
lquarrels and schisms that have af-
fiicted other movements.
It draws no invidious distinctions
between the economic movement and
the political movement. 1t knows that
both must exist, that both must work
independently and vet hand in hand.
The party allows NJ trades unions
| to pursue theft own course. Yet the
party's view Is always considered by
the unions.
The unions allow the party freedom
of action, yet it listens intently to ev-
cry demand made by the unions.
The workers of Denmark know that
dreams will not bring new world.
and SO Socialists and unip4ists set
themselves TO WORK.
And they work not only to gain
for themselves an advantageous posi-
tion; they work for the benefit of all
who toll, unorganized as well as or
ganized.
Not long ago the native workers of
Denmark realized that the condition
of the immigrant workers was deplor-
able.
They were mostly Russian, German
and Austrian iaborers living in q
dire state of misery They were sadl5
unorganized, exiles in a foreign coun-
try.
They were few in number, and might
easily have been overlooked by the
great body of native Danish workers.
But the workers of Denmark saw how
these poor foreigners were exploited
by the bosses, and they set to work
to inquire into their condition.
They appointed committee to in
vestigate infinitely their condition 1t
went into the agricultural districts
wherever these foreigners could be
found-and conducted a careful in
quiry into their number. their wages,
the condition of their dwellings, the
physical condition Of their children,
the crowding of their homes.
Then they published their report.
Their housing was beyond description.
often twenty persons living together
In one room Sometimes men and
women were forced to sleep together
in great number on the floors Of their
cabins. Their beds were often torn
and filthy mattresses showing pitia-
Bile state of poverty.
After this investigation had been
made by the trades unions, the general
council took the matter up and in
structed the Socialists in Parliament
to Introduce measures to improve the
condition of these workers.
The Socialist Party therefore intro
duced into Parliament series of
measures intended for the benefit of
these foreigners in distress.
This is but one example of the -ac-
tual practical work of the Danish So.
cialist and Labor movenent.
Nothing human is alien to it. It
strives not only for its. own organ
lied self, but also to better the condi-
ton of the unorganized.
1t fights not only to improve the con-
dition of its own native workmen, but
of all the workers in the Danish coun-
try.
And SO they build up a powerful
united movement wherein organized
and unorganized, skilled and unskilied,
Industrial worker and rural worker.
brain worker and hand worker, join
together for the common end.
And Socialists as wei as Unionists
: