East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-09-05
ROOSEVELT SPEAKS TO
AUDIENCE Of LAbORERS

should be effective and organized COL
lective action. The wage-earners
must act jointly, through the process
OF collective bargaining, in great in
dustrial enterprises Only thus can
they be put upon plane Of economic
equality with their corporate employ
ers. Only thus is freedom Of con-
tract made real thing and not
mere legal fiction. There are occa-
sional occupations where this is not
necessary; but. speaking broadly, it
is necessary throughout the great
world organized industry. / believe
this practice of collective bargaining,
effective only through such organiza-
tions as the trade unions, to have been
one of the most potent forces in the
past century and in securing larger
social progress for humanity. l be-
lieve in the principle Of organized la
Dor, and in the practice of collective
bargaining, not merely as a desirable
thing for the wage-earners, but as
something which has been demon
strated to be essential in the long run
to their permanent progress.
Labor Unions.
This does not mean that unequivo-
cally indorse any or all practices that
labor organizations may happen to
adopt, or any or all principles that
they may choose to enunciate. Labor
organizations have the weaknesses
and defects common to all other
forms of human organizations,
Sometimes they act very well. and
sometimes they act very badly; and
am for them when they act well,
and I am against them when act
badly. I believe that their existence
is necessity; ] believe that their
aims and purposes are generally good;
and | believe that all of them have
occasionally made mistakes. and that
some OF them have been guilty of
wrong-doing. Just in so far as they
are strong and effective they tempt
designing men who seek TO control
them for their own interests, and
stimulate the desires OF ambitious
leaders who may be clever, crooked
men, or who may be honest but vis-
ionary and foolish. In other words,
in treating Of labor unions. as in
treating Of corporations, or OF human
ity generally we will do well to re-
member Abraham Lincoln's saying
that there Is a deal of human ma
ture in mankind" Whether in a man
or in an organized body of men, the
power to do good generally means that
such power may be twisted into evil;
and in proportion as the power grows
so II becomes steadily more import
ant that it should be handled right.
Just in proportion as in its proper
function power is important to social
progress, so in its improper function
II becomes fraught with social disas-
ter.
Outside critics should appreciate
the necessity OF organized labor and
understand and sympathize with
what is good in it. instead of con-
demning it Unfortunately. On the
other hand, those within its ranks
should fearlessly analyze the crfti-
cisms directed against it and ruthless
ly eliminate from the practices of its
organization those things which JUS
tify such criticism and attack. This
is the path, not only to the right, but
Of wisdom and safety. Public opin-
ION III lHt 1IlNtu CldNtS
coming more alert and more intelli-
gent and more forceful: and no or
ganization, whether trades union or
corporation, whether industrial or
non-industrial, can endure or per-
manently amount to a social force If
1t does not harmonic with a wise and
enlightened public opinion. Hither-
to we Americans have been over-ocs
cupied 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 organiza-
tion representing an important eco
nomic, political. or social force must
undergo a closer scrutiny than ever
before.
Regarding Strikes.
I 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 organ
izations more clearly understood than
ever before, but any shortcoming or
vice displayed in connection there
with is also quickly resented. The
public is growing more and more to
understand that, in a contest between
employer and employee corpora
ton and a trades union-not only the
interests of the contestants, but the
interests of the third party-the pub
lic-must be considered. Anything
like levty in provoking strike, on
the one hand or on the other is GER
tain more and more to be resented by
the public. Strikes are sometimes
necessary and proper; sometimes
they represent the only way in which
after all other methods have been ex-
hausted, it is possible for the labor
ing man to stand for his rights; but
Il must be clearly understood that a
strike is a matter of last resort. Our
social organization is too complex for
us to fail quickly to condemn those
who, with levity or in a spirit Of wan
ton brutality, bring about far-reach-
ing and disastrous interference with