Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-09-07

criticism and attack This is the path
not only Of right. but of wisdom ant
safety. Public opinion In the Unitee
States IS daily becoming more alert and
more Intelligent and more forceful; ane
no organization whether trades union oi
corporation. whether Industrial or non-in-
dustrial can endure or permanently
amount to a social force II it does not
harmonic with a wise and enlightened
public opinion Hitherto we Americans
have been over-occupisd with material
things. and have neglected to watch the
play OF the social forces about US. But
now we are awakening from that indif-
ference: and every form Of organization
| representing an important economic. poit-
| fcal, or social force must undergo closer
scrutiny than ever before
] think that the next quarter OF a
! century will be important politically In
| many ways. and in none more so than In
| the labor movement. Not only are the
| benefits Of labor organizations more clear
| ~ understood than ever before. but any
| shortening or vice displayed in connec-
! ton Herewith is also more clearly under
| stood and more quickly resented. The
| public is growing more and more TO I'M
| derstand that. in contest between em-
/ ployer and employee--a corporation and
| a trades union-not only the interests OF
the contestants. but the interests Of the
| third psrty-the public-must be consid-
\ cred Anything Ike Ievity IN provoking
a strike. on the one hand or on the other.
| is certain more and more to be resented
by the public. Strikes are sometimes nee
| essary and proper; sometimes they rep
resent the only way in which, after all
other methods have been exhausted. II is
possible for the iaboring man 10 stand for
his rights but II must be clearly under
stood that a strike is a matter Of last re-
sort our social Organization is too COM
pleX for us to fail quickly 20 condemn
those Who, with levity or in a spirit OF
wanton brutality bring about far-reach-
ing and disastrous interference with It's
normal processes. The public sympathizes
cordially with any movement for a good
standard OF living and for moderate hours
OF employment. Il personally for In
stance cordially believe In an eight-hour
day. and In one day in seven for com
piete rest) Where men and women are
worked under harsh and intolerable CON
ditions, and can secure no relief without
a strike. or, indeed. where the strike Is
clearly undertaken for things which are
vitality necessary then only as a last
resort-the public sympathy will favor the
wage workers; but II will not favor them
unless such conditions as these are full
hlled Therefore IL Is becoming more
tran ever important that the labor move
ment should combine steady. far-seeing
tNdutTbfIp Win ulsflpnHt anu CDHtfOl VI
It's ranks, Dishonest leadership is a curse
anywhere in American life. and nowhere
IL II greater curse than in the labor
movement. II there is one lesson which /
would rather teach to my felow-Am
cans than any other; II Ia TO hound down
the dishonest man-no matter what his
condltion-and to brush aside with i'm
patient contempt the creature who only
denounces dishonesty when Il 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 Is a genuine reformer will de-
cline to single out any one type for ex-
elusive denunciation. but will fearlessy
attack the dishonest man as such when
ever and wherever he Is to be found
Worthy Leaders Available.
For many years I have been more or
less closely associated with representative
leaders of labor unions. Some of these
men are among my close friends whom /
respect and admire as heartily as / do
any men in America, There are some OF
them 10 whom I go as freely for assist
ance and guidance. for aid and help, in
making up my mind how TO deal with our
social problems, as ! go to the leaders Of
any business or profession. cannot pay
rtty Of these men--to their sincerity and
good judgment as leaders. But no move
ment-no leadership-however earnest and
honest, can endure unless the rank and
file live up to their duties and search
for such leadership and support II when
they ind II. II the best men I'm labor
union leave it's management and control
to men OF a poorer type. the effect will be
Just ms disastrous as when good citizens
In a city follow the same course as re-
CARDS city government The stay-at- home
man In a union IL just as much RESPONSE
BILE for the sins Of omission and commits
sion OF his organization as the stay-at-
home man in n city iS for the civic CON
dtions under which he suffers and about
which he complains.
All that can properly be done should
be done by all Of ms TO help upward the
standard OF living and to improve the
ability Of the average man TO reach that
standard There are stlll in the United
states great masses OF skilled and unor-
ganized labor, whose conditions OF work
and living are harsh and pitlable II Is n
shocking indictment Of our Industrial con
dition to be told In a matter-of- course
way In government report that thous-
ands Of workers In this country are com
PEELED TO toll everyday I'm the week. with
out one day rest. for wage of St5 n
month. Such a condition is bad for them,
and. in the end bad for all OF us. our
commercial development should be Hear-
tlly encouraged; but il must NJ be al
lowed to commentaries our rails.
II IS not merely the y of the wage
Garner, but It is also the duty Of the gen
eral public. to see that he has safe and
health. conditions under which 10 carry
on his york, No worker should he com
PEELED. as 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 II
owes ms much to itself He should not
be compelled to make this a matter OF
contract; he ought not to be left to flEht
alone fo- decent cor5it0"s 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 carelessness on the part
OF INSCRIPTIONS and thOughtiess employ
ers, just as outside OF those working
hours both ne and his employer are pro-
tected In their lives and property against
the murderer and thief
Far Behind Other Nations.
This opens a vitality important field Of
legislation TO the National government
and TO the state alike II is humiliatinx
TO think how far we ~ this country are
behind most of the other countries In
such matters. Practically all civilized
countries have for more than decade.
prohibited by the strictest regulations the
poisonous match industry, yet we had
not done anything at all until very re-
Gently to orotect the laborers against this
horrible danger. The National govern
ment made an investigation q year ago
into this industry which showed a condi-