The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1911-01-27
A Few Deductions.

a rev DeQuctlOnS.
A few plain deductions may be drawn
from this question of affliation of the
Western Federation. The lines were
clearly drawn. Everybody understood
that the w. +. NJ. is socialistic and
industrial organization and that its
members regard industrialism as fund
amental. The opponents of the a. +,
of l.. refer to it as "decadent organ
ization." Yet there were enough pro-
gressive men in that convention ia
come within an ace of defeating the
hardest kind of motion to defeat-a
motion to refer to the executive coun-
ell. OF course there are reactionarits
in the labor movement but who shall
say the labor movement is not pro
crossing? The reactionaries will last
no longer than the men in the organ
izations allow them to last Men OF
thought in the labor movement take the
position expressed by John Mitchell on
ly as | can recall, the following words:
81 am not impressed with the theory
advanced by some that strict craft auton-
omy is the only form of organization that
should be recognized in the labor move
ment. Neither am | impressed by the
| theory advanced by others that in in
dustrial unionism alone lies the way to
economic freedom | do believe this:
| That there are many trades which, be-
cause of their close affiliation. their
grouping in industrial ccntcrs can re
tain their autonomy of craft and work
better through that plan; | also believe
| that there are other industries. which
because of their isolation from other
dustrial centers, many adverse condi-
tions peculiar to those industries, must
| industrialize for their own self protec-
| ton, for their very existence. And
| believe that if the American Federation
of Labor is not ready to recognize the
| fact that both forms of organization
have a legitimate place in the great la
Dor movement of our country and of
our time then the American Federation
of Labor has reached the pinnacle OF
its greatness"
The A. f. of l.. has within its ranks
today several powerful organizations
that are organized industrially. The
largest and most powerful organization
on the North American continent today
the United Mine Workers of America
is an industrial organization, absolute
A misapprehension exists in many
quarters as to the basic principles gov
erning the American Federation of La
Dor. 1t is entirely IA voluntary organ
zation and its life depends only upon
the good will of its affiliated organ
izatiOns. 1t can make laws and regu-
lations which affiliated unions must live
up to if they affiliate or remain affl-
lated, but it cannot under its laws com
pei affiliatiOn. 1t does not attempt to
egislate for or direct the internal af-
fairs of an affiliated organization Some
of our people think, perhaps, that il
should But if you will search back a
few years you will discover that pow
erful national labor organization head
ed toward the rocks and began to dis
integrate when it ceased to be volun-
tary organization and attempted to
make itself the legislative and eXecu.
tive body for its affiliated parts. Men
can be led in any movement but the
men in the American labor movement
do not like to be driven.
L am not blind to the faults existing
today in the trade union movement.
can see grave errors to be remedied. But
| am conscious that men. unfortunately.
do not cast aside their selfishness. their
desire for power, their wholly human
faults, when they enter the labor move
menr. We can never expect to see the
perfect union. We can set our ewes to.
ward higher standard, broader CON
ception of unionism, and work together
toward that goal We may become i'm
patient at the slow progress and ntol-
Grant of mistakes. but we must remem-
Der that the most complex thing in the
world today is the labor problem and
every onward step of the army of la
Dor has been labOrious and slow and
mistakes many. Many greater minds
than ours have wrestled with this labor
problem.
A theoretical form of unionism can.
not be devised that will fit uniformly
into all the varying conditions surround
ing industry. Theories are one thing
and conditions are another. To nv
mind the organization that attempts to