The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1911-11-24
MANKIND'S UPL|FT
The Ultimate Purpose of Trade
UnioniSm.
BASED ON BROAD PRINCIPLES.

| ~ TractiCai ana Fotent. Force mar
Works systematically and Naturally
For Human Observation-Disclosures Men
In Industrial Struggle.
Many persons. including large pro-
portion of the members of organized
labor. apparently are impressed with
the idea that the value of the trade
union is to be measured wholly by the
number of wage betterments 1t Sc
cures in the immediate present.
This line of reasoning leads to the
faulty conclusion that the fact that
the union does not secure some addi-
tional increase in any one week proves
that the union is no good, at least FOR
that particular week.
No matter If for ninety-nine success
sive weeks the union has succeeded in
accomplishing something in the way of
betterment, and that the workers in
the hundredth week were being bene
flied by all the gains made in the nine
| ty-nine preceding weeks. because in
the hundredth week no new advantage
was secured. that would be proof posi-
tive In the minds of some narrow
minded members that the union has
outlived its usefulness and should be
broken up and sold for old junk.
There are those in the ranks of labor
unionism who do not appreciate the
Importance Of the ultimate purpose of
unionism, and who do not understand
that each small advance in the i'm
provement of the conditions of labor
is one more step on the long journey
toward the goal Of all our efforts.
The ultimate purposes of the unions
cannot be very definitely described be-
cause they are as broad as the needs
Of mankind.
Some have said that the trade union
movement is the only force In the
world that is Systematically and nat
urally working for the practical uplift
of humanity.
In other departments Of endeavor
good work is being done, but in no
other field are the wants Of man in
this life so fully provided for and so
carefully guarded. The employing
class cannot be the uplifting force be-
cause it is to the interests of each en-
ployer under our competitive economic
system to get labor for as little money
as possible Left to themselves. the
employers would reduce wages and
pauperize the world. Examples of
their baneful work are everywhere
present where the uplifting of union
ism Is absent.
Our educational system Is great CO.
worker with unionism in the advance
of the race. Indeed, we could not ad-
vance rapidly without it, but educa-
ton only fits man for his life work
and increases his competitive force
and leaves him to fight single handed
against his fellows, his hand against
every man. and every man against
him in the fierce Industrial struggle.
Unionism puts stop to this fratri-
cidal strife and places him in fellow
ship and copartnership with his fell
lows.
The church confines it's endeavors
largely to the moral and spiritual de-
velopment of mankind. 1t also is an
indispensable coworker with unionism.
For without moral character there can
be no stable reformation, no success
full evolution toward the best posi-
bilities of the race. But the church
does not unity men in the industrial
struggle. 1t is left for unionism to do
this.
The dream of the altruist, the hope
of the world, can only be realized
through the success of trade unionism.
But while we aspire to achieve our
ultimate purposes which are. broadly
speaking, to secure peace, prosperity
and happiness for all who toll, there
are many things that we can do in the
meantime.
We can always be on the alert to Sc
cure as much as possible in return for
our labors, with the full knowledge
that the accomplishment of this pur-
pose. even by the piecemeal plan, is
part of our ultimate object, and, more
over. we must realize that any condi
ton of labor approaching the ideal
will never be brought about In one at
tempt. but must be secured by the
slower and surer process of gains by
inches.
| And this teaches the lesson that the
trade union that is the most effective
is the one that never sleeps but is
constantly on the alert, ready to gain
its inch on every favorable opportuni-
ty. thus contributing each time one
more step In advance toward the at
tainment Of our ultimate purpose.
The union that keeps its ultimate
purpose constantly in mind is the
more apt to achieve the successive
chain of small victories which go to
make up the triumph of great cause
for Q; = reason that strict adherence
to AMI persistence in its main effort
give Its movement steadiness OF
purpose and powerful swing and
precision of movement that carry
success with 1t. while on the other
Aand the union that loses sight of its
ultimate purposes and engages In a
scramble for temporary advantage Is
apt to overreach itself and to perish
because of steering an unwise course
Sbao Uorkars, Iournal