United labor bulletin., 1910-12-01
LABOR ORGANIZATIONS AS AN All
TO BUSINESS.

There are few people who have begun
to comprehend the significance of the
labor union as a business institution. A
large number of1people regard it as la
boris means of making war on capital.
Probably in its incipiency and crude
form this was largely true, but this was
before labor had begun to use its brain
and depended more on its brute strength
than it does today.
The policy of all well-regulated unions
is along business lines of the most mod
ern fashion. They are not organized to
make unnecessary war on capital, but
to protect their own capital-labor-and
get the best that is coming to them, pres
ent conditions being considered, but al
ways with an eye TO make those condi-
tions better as viewed from craft
standpoint.
The best organized trades and the
ord that far surpasses that of those that
are only partially organized. and they
are regarded as benefit to any COM
munity in which they exist.
Organization brings higher wages.
Higher wages bring greater spending
power to the workers; greater spending
power means a proportionate increase in
business in every community and more
prosperous times for all.
Take, for instance, mining town with
from 1,500 to 1000 men employed If
those men are employed steadily ana
earn say $500 per day, there is spend
ing power of from s4,500 to $4,000 per
day, and to feed and keep it in decency
$500 is not too high. the present cost OF
living being considered.
Now, suppose that by some kind of
combination the organization that had
maintained this rate of wages was to go
out of existence. How long would it be
before capital began TO reduce wages and
a strike would follow. While the strike
lasted, the spending power of the strfk-
ers would be cut ca.and the business in
jured to that extent. But suppose there
was no strike and the workers accepted
a reduction of 10 per cent. Then that
would mean decrease in business done
of from $3.50 to $500 per day, and let this
reduction be followed by others as the
trusts have been doing until they get the
wage down to s2.e0 per day. That would
mean a destruction TO the volume OF pus-
mess done Of onethird, and instead of a
i4ElAAuE. prospectus lONA --NAA= NA4%
thriving on its own resources and having
a volume OF 5000 per day, it is cut down
10 $4,000. The result is stagnancy in
business. The business man says it is
hard times The worker knows it is, but
the fact is. it is low wages that has
brought the hard times on the commu-
nifty.
Society is so woven together that one
cannot suffer without entailing suffering
on the other. and any institution along
business lines that provides the means
for good wages and their consequent dis
tribution, and does it with the least pos
sible friction. is an institution that
should commend itself to every man who
has an eye open to his own business
The trades unions have done more TO
bring prosperity TO the business man
than any other Institution in existence
and yet the business houses show SO lit
tie appreciation that they handle the
scab-made goods in preference to those
of the union made-the one that has
brought them prosperity.-Mine' Work
ers' Journal
The La Belle is the best sc cigar on