The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-09-02
EVILS OF FACTlONALISM.
Trades Unions Should Present Solid
Front to Their Foes.

Trades Unions Should Present Solid
Front to Their Foes.
There is altogether too much fac
tionaIsm III the world of labor.
OF course every faction seeks to keep
in stock Il shop worn set of alleged
excuses for it's failure to get in line
with the big family of unions. but
none of them will stand analysis be-
cause no logical reason can be given
to justify any split in labor's ranks.
QuarrelS over personal opinions or
ambitions are personal affairs and
should not affect the attitude of the
workers toward the labor movement,
nor should they prevent the workers
from fully realizing the value and ne
cessity of unity.
| The moment group Of workers an
nounce their independence Of the gen.
eral labor movement they convict them
selves as being either ignorant or filed
with selfishness Of the narrow type
that hopes to secure some temporary
trivial advantage for a select few at
the expense of the many.
The desire to hold office is perhaps
the most common cause of factions
reason.
The labor cause is of vastly more
Importance than any individuals in it.
and when any alleged labor man advo-
Gates division Of the forces of labor
it is pretty clear that such man
holds his opinions and selfish interests
as of more Importance than the cause.
and. that he is unworthy of support.
Such differences of opinion as may
exist between members Of labor unions
as to correct union laws or policy
should always be settled within the
union and never be made pretext for
factiOnalism.
When differing opinions are discuss
ed within the union, the discussion is
educational and beneficial. because the
constant grinding of one intellect
against another is broadening in it's
effect. serves to put the adherents of
each side on their mettle and very
probably will result in correct action.
But if the union splits. each faction
being composed of men who think alike,
deprives both factions of the education
al effect which can only come through
! debate. Thus there is lost not only the
unity CSSelltldl W SINScSS, Dut diSo Tue
broad educational influence of discus
| sions based upon divergent opinions.
Imagine that members of union
seek to make some change in union
rules or laws and when defeated they
secede. They were very sure they
We're right, but when they seeded they
took all the adherents of their pet re-
form out of the union and left the union
to go unreformed. Now, assuming they
were really right, if they had stayed in
the union they would surely prevail in
the end. Thus secession or factional-
ism not only tends to render the union
weak, but to deprive it of the benefits
Of suggestions of reform. some of which
might be valuable and might finally be
adopted.
And labor needs unity now more than
ever before. in spite Of the progress
that has been made. because our oppo
\ nents are becoming better organized
and because the pay envelope is not
\ keeping pace with the increasing cost
Of living
! The old saying that there is time
for everything" does not apply to splits
\ in the forces of labor. because there is
no time appropriate for labor to split
\ Bear and forbear in the discussion OF
your differences, but preserve unity.
Say to yourself, to nonunionists and
= to independent factionists. that labor
has no time to spend in fractional dis
. cussion except to unite the faction.
I that have already been created. and
that the time to unite is now.-Sho,
Workers Journal.