Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1912-06-13

f4i Wi hGES is ma.
based on silly presumption NJ, ~
worhngmen are good and al! e,n,, al
lists are bad, but on the reoogni., .-'
OF the simple fact that the econo,n.
and hence also the political iatara-.
OF the workers are different fr '.S
those Of their employers. 55rher Iii
ize that the capitalist as sgcn
necessarily concerned for his mas.
and that this profit comes. primsri,,
and principally from the 0p3srno,,
work OF the employees. Thev rasr,
that whatever improvements ara -
come into their lives will come mt =
the free gift of the employing classes
but as the result Of the struggles |,
labor, of hard persistent, we'll ~
ganized and well directed strngrio.
The European workers are mora sar
reliant than their American brstbnoa
They have emancipated Themselves
from the tutelage of the. ruling classo.
they are the guardians Of their own
welfare. They would asllittle in .7nst
their politics to their employers !
, they would their economic bainas,
they would as little seek 10 raali,s
their political demands through tso
medium OF the Democratic or PENN
lican party as they would leave tSo
conduct of their strikes to the Nation.
al Manufacturers Association.
Still another characteristic 81 ma
European labor movement is na
spirit of international solidarity Tina
workers of Europe realize tina; mod.
ern industry has long DESTROYED An
national barriers, and that the strug.
giles of labor are as worldwide Is he
! organizations of capital. The organ.
lied workingmen of all Eurooean
countries practically constitute one
great movement; they meet breiodj-
cally in common council, ac, upon a
common program and support each.
other loyalty in their struggles. Tie
American workers are practically
isolated.
And finally. the European labor
movement is distinguished from The
American by It's greater idealism.
The average American workingman
sees in his trade union nothing but
an instrument to secure for himself
some slight and immediate material
advantage, and unfortunately he is not
educated to a higher and loftier view
of the labor movement. The Euro.
pean worker, on the othe~ hand, rial
( ICES that the labor y movement, the
great all-sided international labor
movement, is. a force that moves the
world. He sees in it power that
will not only improve his lot from
day to day, but one that IS destined
eventually to put an end to all expfoi.
tations of men by men, to wipe out
poverty, misery, vice and all the un-
told social sufferings which today
mar and blot human civilization He
feels himself a soldier of an army Of
2O,O0O,0O0 strong, engaged in grand
war for the liberation of the toiling
masses, for the ennobling OF mankind
This consciousness inspires the Euro
pean workers with steady courage
and enthusiasm for the cause and
battles Of labor, and makes them
invincible.
Within the last generation they
have gained great and. lasting victor
les in all fields Of their endeayoIr.
While the two and a half million or
ganized American workmen are still
knocking at the doors OF a hostile con-
gress and hostile state legislatures
year after year, asking for crumbs
and getting stones, their European
brethren have strong representation
in the parliaments and municipal
councils Of every counfry-men Of
their own class and movement, Fole'.
ing their demands in unmistakaOl'
tones and wringing concession after
concession from their governments
The workers of Europe are cared io'
by the government in cases Of sick
ness, accident, disability and Old age