The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-09-02
NO CHARITY APPEALS
FROM UNION MEMBERS
Oscar Leonard Noted Social Wei
fare Worker Makes Remark
able Statements.
Says Unions Tend to Remove the
Necessity for Needs of AS
sistance.

We were so favorably impressed
by an article entitled The Labor
Leader and Family Rehabilitation
from the pen of Oscar Leonard Of st.
Louis, which appeared in recent
number of The Survey, a journal of
constructive philanthrophy. that we
concluded we would be rendering our
readers good service by reproducing
it in the Labor World in full.
Mr.. Leonard's Article.
Only a small percentage of families
whose heads hold membership in la
Dor organizations come within the
keen of charitable agencies. There
are several reasons for this. The or
gained worker receives better wage
therefore he can care for his family
better tilan his less fortunate
brother, and he can lay by something
for rainy day.
Standards Of Unionism.
The members of labor unions are,
as a rule, skilled workers. Their
caliber as men is generally higher
than that of the unskilled. A la
Dor union represents collective ambi-
ton. The professional man FORCES
ahead, or tries to, at least, single
handed. The mechanic, as a rule
can progress only with the other me-
chanics in the same kind of work. He
can only rise as mis- fellow-workers
rise. The very banding together Of
persons of the. same trade means
foresight. It means that these work.
ers realize individually that they must
forego some liberties, give up part
of their earnings in order to gain
more liberty and better earnings in
the end. The organized worker has
not the what s-the-use? state of
mind. He has certain standards to
which he strives to live up. He has
certain ideals for his family and for
his children.
PardOnable Pride.
There is wholesome pride in con-
nection with membership in a labor
organization which leads: the organ
lied worker away from ordinary re-
lief agencies. His union stands ready
to help him in distress. His help
there comes as it would from broth
ers from next of kin. If it becomes
necessary for him to ask for more
help when the resources of his or
ganlzat1On have been exhausted he
often receives such help from indi-
vidual members. :
Occasion Of Need.
From time to time. however, It
does become necessary for a member
OF trade union to apply for relief,
or more often for the wife to do so,
Perhaps the man is out of work for
long period. Mayhap he has the
"tailing,' and has it too frequently,
as result of which his earnings go
to the saloon. Proud as the mother
may be, remembering the days when
her husbands earnings were handed
to her every Saturday evening and
sufficed for the needs of the family.
she may have to knock at the door Of
the relief" Many questions are
asked and she answers them all. The
children need bread. The coal is all
gone. Johnny is in need of Shoes
Mary has no coat. AS for herself
but she forgets herself entirely. AS
her with questions she recalls the
days of long ago when she, too, wore
white waists and was young and
pretty and hopeful: But that was so
long, long ago. Now she begs for the
sake of her children.
Possible Emergencies.
Perhaps the husband lost Land
in the factory and with it, of course
went the job. Perhaps he had been
too active during a strike and was
"spotted." The law does not allow
b}ack-listing, as we all know. But
the results are the same no matter
under what name tile 'listing'' goes.
Perhaps-but what is the use ce en-
umerating the many reasons for
which worker may find himself on
the streets helpless and miserable
and wretched?
Applying for Aid.
The fact remains that he or his
family has opplied for aid. Some
thing must be done to adjust mat
tiers. Investigators are sent. A
diagnosis is made. A remedy is to
be applied. The abnormal must be
made normal again. The family, the
individuals composing it, society, de-
mand it. AS a rule many agencies
are called into cooperate. The priest
is appealed to, perhaps neighbors
are approached, of course after due
attempts have been made to arouse
relatives to their duty.
Erroneous Views.
In many cases, perhaps in most
| cases, particularly in smaller COM
muntites, the labor union is forgotten
Often it is deliberately stunned.
There are those who will even hold
the labor organizations responsible
for the failing" in one OF it's men,
bers. Such individuals believe that
beer-guzzling and whiskey imbibing
are part of the regular order of
| business.
| Unions Hold on. Labor.
AS a. matter of fact, the labor or
ganization, in most cases, has strong
hold upon the worker because it
means much to him. He is attached
! to it more than he is to his church