The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-07-27
BY Morris Hilquit.

its aims and weapons. As the move
ment itself was produced by historic
Necessity, so its weapons were forged
for it in its inevitable struggles
But in spite of this, general uniform
| ity. the movement of each country
differs somewhat in character and
appearance from that OF every other
country, and in no case is the diff.
ference sc great as it is between the
labor movement of the United States
and that of the rest OF the world.
There are certain distinct TEXTURES
in the labor movement of Europe
which are absent from our move
ment here.
Th most notable OF these features
Is the Unity of the movement. The
workers of Europe realize that the
economic and political struggles of
the working class are but two phases
OF the same movement, and. what is
more, they recognize that the dis
tinction between these two forms of
struggle is more artificial han real.
Whenever workers eel to reduce
their hours of labor, or to improve
their shop conditions by the strength
of their trade organizations, whether
by means of strikes or voluntary
lazy "a SheaSC0 LII III
economic movement; whether they
seek to attain the same ends by
means of legislative enactment, they
enter upon the political field The
difference between the W. phases of
the labor movement is one OF form
and degree rather than of substance
and kind. The economic battles of
the workers are usually confined to
n establishment Or industry, while
their political struggles as a rule ex-
to the entire class or some i'm
portant part of it. But both serve
the same general aim-the better
ment of the lot of the toilers: they
are conducted by the same class of
lpeople-the workers, and they en-
counter the same opposition-that
of the cntrenched interests Of The
employing classes. Both are equally
essential to the cause of labor.
The workers Of Europe have long
recognized his fact. and have or
themselves politically as
well as industriany. In some conn
tries. such as England and Belgium,
one organization, n Labor Party, per-
forms both functions. in others the
orker maintain separate orSani-
zations for the economic phase Of
iSAi 81 uSSlCS lle -apol oHlOI1S,
and a separate one for their politics,
the Socialist Parties. In the latter
instances Socialism is frankly recog-i
nized as a wing. of the labor move
ment equar> In sifhptoftancH TO tffaht of
industrial organizations, and The
closest harmony and cooperation
prevails between them. A condition
of antagonism between the economic
and the political organizations of the
working class, between the trade-l
union movement and the socialist
movement. such as sometimes exists
in this country is almost unthink-I
able in Europe.
: Another distinguishing feature of
the European workers is their
LASS-COESCIOUSNESS. BY this
we do not mean class hatred. The
"class consciousness" of the Euro
workers is not based on 4 silly
presum ption that all workingmen
are good and all capitalists are bad.
but on the recognition of the simple
that the economic and hence
also the political interests of the
workers are different from those of
employers. They realize that
the capitalist as such is necessarily
concerned in his profit. and that his
IiohI SoAheS iliidTllH anu pE1uclpal-I
ly from the underpaid work of his
employees. They realize that what
ever improvements are to come into
their lives. will come o as the free
gift of the employing classes, but as
the result of the struggles of labor,
of hard, persistent, well organized
and well directed struggles. The
European workers are more self-re-
liant than their American brethren.
have emancipated themselves
from the tutelage OF the ruling class
es, they are the guardians of their
own welfare. They would AS little
entrust their politics to their en-
ployers as they would their economic
'battles: they would as little seek
to realize their political demands
the medium of the Demo-
or Republican party as they
would leave the conduct of their
strikes to the National Manufacture
Association.
Still another characteristic of the
European labor is its
spirit of INTERNATIONAL SOIL
DARITY. The workers of Europe
realize that modern industry has |
destroyed all national barriers,
and that the struggles of labor are
as worldwide as the organization of
The ORGANIZED workippnop