The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-01-02

ness man, may lightly play strike
breaker as a lark or for the extra
cash needed to pay his way TO q
diploma, not realizing his social
az seen by the organized
workers. The journeyman worker
coming from a country town may be
but following the only custom OF
he has had practical knowleoSe
he takes a job left vacant py
strikers. although this is nowadays a
rare thing. The usual founts OF
knowledge and influence from when
the plain people in small comrnunl-
ties absorb their views Of life and its
obligations-as represented by the
school teacher. the village newspaper,
the Influential business map or the
speech-maker on patriotic occasions
are rarely engaged in the active
propaganda of trade unionism.
When, however. we mingle among
the wage-earners of the Industrial
centers, of the railroad world, or the
mines and the undertakings in gen
eral requiring workers in large num-
bers, we speedily find ourselves IN a
society by itself. It is living IN close
contact with the harsh facts OF TO-
day; it is educated in branches or
economics not usually emphasized in
tuc COI1SS
the battle Of the worker pushed hard
by conditions of the live labor mar
ket; it is animated by a moral code
which is the outcome Of h neces-
sity Of it's defensive warfare; 1T is
busted in divers ways with
the welfare of not only the organized
workers but Of all-men, women n
children-in the wage-Working ranks.
One is enabled to affirm, in sober
earnest. that the sentiment Of this
wage-workers' society in the United
States today is almost wholly union.
The statistics OF the present pald-up
membership OF the American FEEDER
! alton Of Labor, the railroad brother
unions show very nearly three mil
lion members. But this number does
not express the sum total Of union
lists as it exists In fact. Unionisn1,
in it's ebb and flow, is made the more
possible to a larger and larger mum
Der through union sentiment on
tinually preceding organization itself
Beyond the forces organized and pay
ing dues to the unions are the
masses hal long to be with their
comrades who are bearing the III
dens Of labor's uplift through unior
methods. A large proportion bu'
q W l. I1S opPOA No1AC AL ~ 81 AAS
line. In the progress Of organization
errors have been made which for (
time have caused serious losses to tn
unions; there has been on occasion
poor leadership: unWise strikes have
taken place. But, whatever tn,
cause Of their falling away, it ma,
be confidently asserted hat afte
men have once experienced the hell
Of the union never will they be agail
1 CQticfn6 with tho StHfn nc pnn-11ninn
ism. They know that most Of tn
betterments they enjoy come to them
and are maintained, through tn
power Of organized labor. Three mil
lions, therefore, is too small a mum
Der for trade uniOnism. II it wer
as easy for men to enroll themseIve
in a union as in a political party trad
) unionism in America would tOda
count its -four million-or five or s12
9 whatever number is necessary t
Q cover the vastly predominating fore
have been covered by our moder
industrialism. 1t is indeed true; trad
: un1onism envelops in it's folds NOR
thar are enrolled in the unions.
e When we begin an estimate Of til
number Of active non-union wage
workers we quickly come to a hal
e Professional strike-breakers are nc
: non-unionists. They are mercenarie
on hire to whoever pays them the
price. Should the unions outbid tn
: employers they could buy the strike
breakers, whose principles have moth
O ing to do with honest work. The
character is notorious; the jest Of tt
n newspapers, the thorn in the side {
s. employers, the worry Inc surprise
the innocent university leaders WI
once deemed non-unionists heroe
e The steady and usually fair wag,
worker who at times refuses to con
- out on strike and give up his ie
may ave yet in him the making
IL a true union man. He may be il
sufficiently educated. he may ha,
u mad sore experiences with the pi
n neers Of organization in his trade.
to ma feel thai unnecessary sacrific
are being demanded Of him and h
Of shopmates; yet time may bring hi
lie around ready to perform any du
al the good OF his fellow-men reuuir.
III No wnrEincrrar 80 -~