The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-01-04

has gone to his head. and made him
imagine that he IS much greater a
man than he really Is. Is undoubtedly
the case, and accounts for the tactics
he has adopted in dealing with ques-
tons before congress. where ne un-
necessarily antagonized men TO whom
organized labor must look for recogni-
ton OF their demands. and where labor
measures are often opposed on ac-
count OF this very antagontsm. which
would otherwise receive support.
There is no doubt but what or
oanized labor in this country would
be much stronger with a leader who
was. more in touch with conditions as
they actually exist. and who would
bring TO ths front the new policies
which organized labor must adopt II
il expects TO even Npaintain Its pres
ent standing. to say nbthing OF making
future progress
We quote portions OF another
article. n reprint, from the same labor
paper:
Organized labor, through It's lead
ers. must recognize the mistakes oil
the past II they expect 10 perpetuate
their Organizations OF TO develop the
movement which they head. No move
ment. no organization, no nation can
develop beyond the intellects which
guide these organizations, and II the
leaders are dominated by selnsh
motive the organization Will become
tinged with a spirit of selhshness,
which has never appealed to mankind
i'm any walk OF life at any time since
history began.
1T can be said in extenuation OF
certain leaders Of organized labor that
the precarious position which they
occupy as leaders has had tendency
TO cause them TO lose sight or the Oh
iect behind the organization. The
natural instinct in man for power and
position Is in no small measure re-
sponsible for the mistakes or the lead
ers, not necessarily in labor unions
alone. but in every branch or society
This desire for power and leadership
and personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT causes
men who have been earnest and SIN
cere in their efforts in the start 10 1e-
teriorate into mere politicians whose
every act and utterance is tin9ed with
the desire to cater to the baser pas
sions Of the working majority In the
societies or organizations and this Is
undoubtedly true when applied to the
nresent leaders OF the Federation. We
mention the Federation of Labor par
ticularly in this article because tnal
organization Ia the only organization
of labor which has yet found itself
in direct opposition TO the laws OF the
land. There are other organizations
of labor whose leaders have made mis-
takes. but they have. always kept
themselves and their organizations
within the bounds of the law and re-
spected the rights of every other man
in considering the rights OF them
selves and their constituency; where
as. the motto of the federation 10 Just
the reverse, and unless the leaders
conform themselves and their organi-
zation in accordance with the laws or
the land. the leaders and the organiza-
tion itself must be disintegrated and
mass into history. for In America the
common sense in mankind is develop
Cd IN a greater extent than In any
other nation on the earth, and the peo-
Mo who are the court of last resort
in MS country VIII ht'Nf -"
system to develop in this country
which does not meet with the APP
proval of the majority OF the citizens
OF the country.
"This must have forced itself upon
the leaders of the federation by this
time. IL Il has not. the leaders must
he eliminated. The organization which
they head has done many meritorious
things In times past and the people
are always ready and willing TO &C.
knowledge the benefits which their eff
forts have brought to their constitu-
ency as a whole, but at the present
time labor organizations in general,
and the Federation OF Labor In par
ticular. stand before the bar Of pub
Tic opinion, having been convicted OF
seIfishness and a disposition to rule all
the people Of the country IN the in
terest ~ the few. The people are
patient and awaiting to see II the OBJ
iect lesson which they have been
forced to give to these leaders is go