The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-09-02
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1912.
A nABOR DAY U

A nABOR DAY THOUGHT.
The celebration Of Labor day is
one Of the significant developments
that it has hardly passed from the
catalogue of current events. Yet la
Dor and business-the joint agencies
of modern commercialism-vie with
each other in this tribute to a condi-
ton in a celebration that extends
from Portland, Maine, to Portland.
Oregon, and from the Canadian bor-
der to the Rio Grande.
AS a nation we celebrate events and
commemorate traditions. But to la
bore alone have We given the distinct
ton Of celebrating a condition. Pa
triotism, history. and religion are the
motives for other special days. The
deeds Of men in war and peace and
the triumphs OF the people as a ma
ton inspire the themes for those
occasions. But labor gets a nations
tribute as a condition and the en-
nobling Of the man who tolls is the
inspiration and the theme.
And the event marks the greatest
advancement in any line OF human
endeavor in the history Of the world.
In the days of imperial Rome, the
laborer Y a the servant and his con-
dition was the most wretched. Not
only had the master the right to his
labor, but held his life in his hand.
If the master cared he could take
the life Of the servant. and the usual
method of punishment vas the scar
ing Of the quivering flesh Of the
agonized victim with irons which the
victim was usually forced to prepare
for the fendish torture. Human life
was held so cheaply by the patricians
that they amused themselves by
throwing victims to the wild beasts
in the arena.
To trace the conditions Of labor
from even imperial Rome to the pres
ent would require more space than
DR.. Eliot's classic library. A glance
at England Of W. or three centuries
ago, and Ireland of one, would serve
TO indicate the progress. In England
the laborer was little better SO far as
his financial condition was concern
cd. than the slave of Rome. The
master had no power Of death or tor
ture over him, but the right to the
use of his life was so we'll recognized
that the term master and servant
which had it's origin in the common
law Of England, was a we'll settled
and un~questionably recognized prin.
ciple. The English law never thought
of equality between employer and
employee as a right, but held to the
principle that the master-or the EN-.
ployer-was alone the dominant pow.
er In the relationship. and that the
servant-or the employe-must &C.
cept whatever he was offered. Thi:
principle Of English Jurisprudence
became a part Of the common Law o.
this country and Is yet the mist,
principle which forms the rapid,
closing breach between employer and
employee. The conditions in IRELAND
have been even worse than in Eng
land, for the sturdy son of that is
land, with the Drawn Of giants, have
been able to wrest little more thar
a scant existence from life.
1t has not been SO many years since
the a%ristocracy Of America crinkled it,
nose at the man in overalls. Pat will
his hod has furnished columns Of
jests, not 20 much because he was al
Irishman as because he was a labor
er. Young men went into profession
because they could not endure the
scorn Of their fellows as laborers
Girls sought young men with unsoil'
ed and uncalloused hands for hus'
bands because they dared not come
down tho ladder of pride to marry
the man who toiled. But these idea.
are rapidly passing, and the man II
overalls and with calloused hands l!
coming rapidly to be recognized al
the equal Of him who wears broad
cloth and whose finger nails show
the use Of the manicure's tools.
Labor is coming into its own. I'm.
ionism by which the group makes it
contract with the employer. II prop
erly used, is the greatest principle
Of twentieth century economics. Tha'
It is sometimes abused and made tt
serve a purpose opposed to its funda'
mental principle, that 1t sometime!
Idll8 1uIO Iu0 IIdIlOS VI UIoCT upOlOO'
and dishonest leaders. does not de-
stroy its generic value. BY it, has Ia
Dor come into its own. In time 1t,
contracts, now one-sided so far az en-
forcement is concerned. will be mu'
tually binding on both parties. b,
means other than a moral obligation
The emoleration of women labor.
ers; the abolition Of child labor; thu
shortening of the working hours TO,
men; the better protection of life ant
limb Of the employe, and the better
hygienic conditions surrounding la.
Dor are among the things alread,
wholly or partially accomplished.
1t is no idle dream, no fetch t.
which we pay tribute today. but {
principle that has lifted the laborel
from slavery to equality; from degra'
dation to dignity and from poverty tt
prosperity.
MANAGERS AND MANAGERS.