The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1912-04-19
WORDS OF WISDOM
Trade UnioniStS In the Presiden.
tiaI Campaign.
SOME DON'TS TO REMEMBER.
Well Being of Workers Depends More
on Union Activity Than on Problem
attic esisIation-PoIitica Hysseria
No Help to the Labor Movement.

|
attic eeisIation-PoIitical Hysteria
No Help to the Labor Movement.
Discussing the impending preSiden.
tial campaign. the American Fedora
ZIONIST says:
1t is just here we would put in u
word to trade unionsts. Inform your
selves sufficiently on leading public
questions to vote for candidates who
may probably act In Office in accord
anre with your wishes If you can in
| the meantime join in one of the new
movements to direct candidates how
they must act and vote on legislation
So much the better But while the
long drawn out political battle is rag
ing you may proftably preserve your
equilibrium, prevent yourself from
wasting valuable time and save your
self disappointment by observing a
few "donts'' that are the fruit of ex-
peripncp.
Don't. first of all. lose sight of the
fact that the well being of the wage.
workers in this country has been pro-
NOTED more by union activity than by
any legislation thus far accomplished.
Don't overlook the fact that no mat.
ter which side wins. abor will get only
what it demands loudly. repeatedly
and emphatically with the backing of
trade union power.
Don't fall into the delusion that the
inf ~ 10 I,nr tot IN ~,
executive office or fat job bears
heavily on the solution Of the labor
question.
Don't take it for granted that the is
sues pushed to the front by the politi-
Cli managers are the issues most i'm
p.."tamt to the wage eainers
Don't IMAGINE that the various mil
lennial platforms Of self styled radical
parties are any more probable of real
izatlGn than so many dreams or have
more value than vents for discomfort.
wh.'p in some cases they are mere mis-
c.ding high road finger boards erected
H. Old party lenders to take away from
thci, opponents the voters who may be
thereby miS~uided
Don't let interest In politics diminish
your interest in Your union.
Don't take too much stock in the Sc
riUl1n2ss of campaign ISLANDERS. roor-
b%c%s. personal denunciations or in
stamp speech oratory or lurid "litera-
ture' o. in the stupid prejudices and
lm;se''s .: hlusterin~ partisans.
Don't let yourself believe you will
help 20 erve the country by going into
hyS .; les over partisan politics and
ovrr'o King the all the year round la
hor 80 eAient.
POST spend too much time in read
Ing he claptrap and drivel of political
pr arguments. There's little educa-
ii il IN it all Standard reference works
az in the libraries relating to all the
general subjects debated. and your
trade nninn publications will tell you
what are the immediate demands of
or an.Hcd labor.
roIt 30 into party politics any fur
cher then to give your influence In
FL or f measures which may clearly
result il making politics clean game.
IL ;i"in@ the wage earners their due
force in awmaking, in remedying the
evils of privilege and to the extent pos
sible in paving the way to better con-
diticn % society.
Don't allow yourself to be persuaded
that in national labor or other issues
'1abor leaders, have selfish interest.
If the American Federation of Labor
asIy lart fnr tot N
tons it will be not for the personal
advancement of those candidates, but
because they are pledged to specific
work for the wageworkers. to secure
for them equality before the law with
all other citizens for the protection Of
the rights and interests of the masses
of our people.
Don't lose sight of the fact that the
Atlanta convention considered the sit
ulation in which the wageworkers of
the country are placed by reason Of
the Interpretation of the Sherman anti
trust law and of the abuse Of the writ
of injunction as issued by the courts
against the workers and which are is
sued against no other citizens of all our
country, and the convention adopted
without a dissenting voice or vote the
following declaration and instruction:
THE executive council is hereby fur
Their authorized and directed to take
such further action as its judgment
may warrant to secure the enactment
of such legislation at the forthcoming
session of congress as shall secure the
legal status of the organized move
ment Of the wageworkers for freedom
from unjust discrimination in the ex-
ercise of their natural, normal and con-
stitutional rights through their volun-
tary associations.
"And the executive council is further
authorized and directed that In the
event of a failure on the part of con-
gress to enact the legislation which we
herein seek at the hands of the con-
gress and the president to take such
action as in its judgment the situation
may warrant in the presidential and
congressional election of 1912"