Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-09-08

, II eliminate from the practises OF its or
/ ganlzaton those things which justify such
| criticism and attack. This is the path
| not only Of right but of wisdom and
safety Public opinion in the United
States is daily becoming more alert and
more intelligent and more forceful: and
no organization whether trades union or
corporation, whether industrial or non-ir-
dustr1al, can endure or permanently
amount TO social force If ii does not
| harmonic with wise and enlightened
pub4Ic opinion Hitherto we Americans
nave -oeen over-occupied 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, polit-
ical or social force must undergo a closer
scrutiny than ever before
think that the next quarter of
century VIII be important politically in
many ways; and in none more so than in
the Iapor movement. Not only are the
dement's OF labor organizations more clear
ly understood than ever before but any
shortcoming or vice displayed in connec-
ton herewith is also more clearly under
stood ana more quickly resented The
puone is growing more and more to IN
derstand that, in a contest between en-
ployer and employee-a corporation and
a trades union-not only the interests of
third party-the pubhc-must be consid-
cred Anything like Ievity in provoking
q 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, It is
possible for the laboring man to stand for
his rights; but it must be clearly under
STOOD mat strike is a matter of last re-
sort. Our social organization is too COM
pick for us to fail quickly to condemn
those who, with levity or in spirit Of
wanton brutality, bring about far-reach-
ing and disastrous interference with its
normal processes. The public sympathizes
cordially with any movement for a good
standard of living and for moderate hours
of employment. q personally, for in
stance. cordially believe in an eight-hour
day, and In one day in seven for com
plete rest) Where men and women are
worked under harsh and intoisrable con-
ditions, and can secure no relief without
a strike, or, indeed, where the strike is
clearly undertaken for things watch are
vitality necessary-and then only as a last
resort-the public sympathy will favor the
wage-workers but it will not favor them
unless such conditions as these are full
filed. Therefore it is becoming more
than ever important that the labor move
ment should combine steady far-seeing
leadership with discipline and control N
its ranks Dishonest leadership is a curse
anywhere in American life and nowhere
Is 1t a greater curse than in the labor
movement If there is one lesson which I
would rather teach to my fellow-Ameri-
cans than any other; it is to hound down
the dishonest man-no matter what his
condiuon-and to brush aside with i'm
patient contempt the creature who only
denounces dishonesty when it 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 fearlessIy
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 I
respect and admire as heartily as I do
any men in America. There are some of
them to whom I go as freely for assist 4
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. I cannot pay
too high a tribute to the worth and integ-
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 it when
they find it. If the best men in labor
union leave its management and control
to men of a poorer type, the effect will be
just as disastrous as when good citizens
in city follow the same course as re-
CARDS city government. The stay-at-home
man in a union is just as much RESPONSE
Bile for the sins of omission and commits
sion of his organization as the stay-at-
home man in city is for the civic con-
dttons under which he suffers and about
which he complains.
All that can properly be done should
be done by all of US to help upward the
standard of living and to improve the
ability Of the average man to reach that
standard. There are still in the United
States great masses of skilled and unor-
ganiZed labor whose conditions of work
and living are harsh and pitiable. It is a
shocking Indictment of our Industrial con-
1dition to be told in a matter-of-course
way in a government report that thous-
ands of workers in this country are COM
PEELED to toll everyday in the week, with
out one day rest, for a wage of s45
month. Such a condition is had for them
and, in the end, bad for all Of US. Our
commercial development should be hear
lily encouraged; but it must not be al
lowed to commercialize our morals.
1t is not merely the duty of the wage
Garner, but it is also the duty of the gen
eral public, to see that he has safe and
healthy conditions under which to carry
on his work. No worker should be COM
PEELED, as a 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 It
owes much to itself He should not
be compelled to make this matter of
contract: he ought not to be left to fight
alone for decent conditions 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 thoughtless employ
ers, just as outside of those working
hours both he and his employer are pro-
tected in their lives and property against
the murderer and THIEF.
Far Behind Other Nations.
This opens vitality important field Of
legislation to the National government
and to the state alike. 1t is humiliating
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 a decade,
prohibited by the strictest regulations the
poisonous match industry; yet we had
not done anything at all until very re-
Centlv to protect the laborers against this
horrible danger The National govern
ment made an investigation year ago
into this industry, which showed a condi-
ton of things unspeakably shocking and
revolving. Legislation to prevent these
abuses was introduced in congress, which
was not passed. Since then the com
panies in fault have ostentatiousIy an
nounced that they have done away with
the Objectionable conditions. I hope so;
but whether they have or not. a law
should be passed in stringent form to pre-
vent any possible backsliding.
So it is in the matter of injuries to en-
ployees. In what is called employers
liability legislation other Industrial coun-
tries have accepted the principle that the
industry must bear the monetary burden
of its human sacrifices, and that the en-
ployee who is injured shall have a fixed
and definite sum. The United States still