The Elbert County tribune., 1910-09-09

ganization those things which tustify such
criticism and attack. This II 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 forcefu; and
no organization whether trades union or
corporation. whether Industrial or nou-fn-
oustriai. can endure permanently
amount to social force II It does not
harmonixe with wise and enliRhtened
public opinion Hitherto we Americans
have been 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 fndif-
ference: and every form of organization
representing an important economic. polit-
icai. or social force must undergo q closer
scrutiny than ever before.
think that the next quarter of q
century VIII be important politically in
many ways. and in none more so than in
the labor movement. Not only are the
Dement'S of labor organizations more clear
iy understood than ever before, but any
forthcoming or vice displayed in connec-
uon herewith is also more clearly under
stood and more quickly resented. The
public Is growing more and more to un-
oerstand that. in contest between en-
ployer and employee-a corporation and
a trades union-not only the interests of
the contestants. but the interests of the
third party-the public-must be consid-
cred. Anything like levity in provoking
strike. on the one hand or the otSe er
is certain more and more to be resented
by the public. Strikes 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 laboring man to stand for
his rights; but 1t 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 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 Il 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 intolerabie con-
ditions. and can secure no relief without
a strike. or indeed. where the strike is
clearly undertaken for things which. are
vitality necessary-and 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
filled. Therefore II is becoming more
than ever important that the labor move
ment should combine steady. far-seeins
leadership with discipline and control In
Its ranks. Dishonest leadership is a curse
anywhere in American life. and nowhere
Is 1t a greater curse than In the labor
movement II there is one lesson which I
would rather teach to my fellow-Ameri-
cans than eny other; 1t is to hound down
the dishonest man-no matter what his
condition-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 mem and the
man who is a genuine reformer will de-
cline to single out any one type for ex-
elusive denunciation, but will fearlessly
attack the dishonest man such. when
ever and wherever he is to be found.
Worthy Leaders Available.
For many years / 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 heartily as / do
them to whom I go freely for assist
ance and guidance. for aid and help. in
making up my mind how to deal with our
social problems. as I go to the leaders of
any business profession. I cannot pay
too high a tribute to the worth and intes-
rity of these men-to their sincerity and
good Judgment as leaders. But no move
ment-no acknowledgements 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 1t. If the best men in a labor
union leave Its management and control
to men of 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 much RESPONSE
BILE for the sins of omission and commits
sion of his organization the stay-at-
home man in city is for the civic con-
ditions under which he suffers and about
which he complains.
All that can properly be done should
be done by all of 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. 1t is a
shocking Indictment Of our Industrial con-
dition 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 wage of $45 a
month. Such condition is bad for them.
and. In the end. bad for all of us. Our
commercial development should be hear
tiiy encouraged: but II must not be al
lowed to commercialize our morals
IT Is not merely the duty of the wage
Garner. but II 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, have to work
under dangerous and bad surroundings.
Society owes the worker this because It
owes as much to itself He should not
be compelled to make this a 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 shouId 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 unscrupulous and thoughtless employ
ers. just as outside of those working
hours both he and his employer pro-
tected in their lives and property against
the murderer and thief