The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1911-12-08

izations and the Combines Differ.
Labor Is Neither Material Commodi-
ty Nor Product.
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, points
out the wide difference between labor
unions and trusts. He says:
Modern business cannot be conduct
ed upon the old notions. Development
in industry does not admit of it. De-
velopment in transportation does not
admit of it. The development and
transmission Of information do not ad-
NIT of it,
Organized labor has realized for
long time and realizes now-perhaps
clearer now than ever before-the ne
cessity for the fullest and the freest
hand in the operation of business and
industry and the performance of labor
and that, in so far as interference by
the government is concerned, it should
be of the least possible character.
Since the United States supreme
court decided that labor unions are
punishable under trust penalties we
feel that 1t is necessary to point out
how widely different is labor union
from a trust. for upon these vital and
fundamental differences of the two are
based the main reasons for the insist
ence that the voluntary organizations
of labor shall not under the law be
regarded as in the same category as
trusts and illegal combinations in re-
straint of trade.
A labor organization is not trust.
None Of it's attributes, methods or
achievements in behalf Of its members
and society at large can properly be
COMPOUNDED with whatever is PERM
cious and selfish in the activities Of
| the trusts.
A trust even at its best is an organ
ization to monopolize the production
and control the distribution of mate
rial products. The voluntary associa-
ton of the workers for mutual benefit
and assistance is essentially different.
Even if they seek to control the dispo-
sition of their labor power the power
to labor is not a material commodity.
1t is not a product. 1t is the personal
power of human being.
The human power to produce Is the
antithesis of the material commodities
which become the subject of trust con-
troll.
The ownership of a freeman is vest
ed in himself alone. The only reason
for the ownership of bondmen or
slaves is the ownership Of their labor
power of their masters. If freemen's
ownership of themselves involves their
labor power none but themselves are
owners of their labor power.
The product of a freeman is his own.
If he by choice or by reason of his en-
vironment sells his labor power to an
other and is paid a wage in return
| therefor his wage is his own.
These propositions are so essentially
true that they are the underlying phi
losophy upon which is based the en-
tire structure of private property. To
question or to attempt to destroy these
principles involves the entire structure
of civilized society.
| The freeman's ownership of himself
and his labor power implies that he
may sell it to another or withhold it;
that he and others similarly situated
may sell their labor power or with
hold it; that no man has even an i'm
piled right in the labor of another;
that freemen may sell their labor pow
er under stress Of their needs or they
may withhold it to obtain more advan
tageous returns.
Any legislation or court construction
dealing with the subject of combina-
tons, corporations or trusts which deal
In, control, curtail, or corner the prod
ucts OF labor can have no true appli-
cation to the association of freemen in
the disposition or Withholding of their
labor power.
Il While realizing the necessity for
freer hand in industry and commerce.
untrammeled by government cramp-
ing, and therefore such a change in ex-
listing law as will secure these results,
I am quite convinced that it is far
more important for industry, com
merce, labor and the representatives of
free institutions that the activities of
the wage earners, the wealth pro-
ducers, in the opportunities for the pro-
lection and promotion of their rights
and interests have predominating i'm
Il nortance