Strike bulletin. (Clinton, Ill.) 1913-1915, 1913-08-26
The Organization of Labor.


NA'it o. 'laeS '>tsi- th.f' Tie othsr vii h.
ieani fHtttarruaf' th'te Is sufe tn 10. troa.
d" Hei"t.n thu twa IHe master L. always
81 Ii ming - 81 WpT. profits out uf IT,. work
u Tie Work.r fsEtts f.r more wages frnIa#
ilA hhs- IL. il III Est~ tIr muf. ii.rr Is
fef Il. otlei Hen" " aas,. between the ar
itallst aHi A4- work.. vat l. known - th.
,ldss struEEI.5
Al ht-t thi- -tts4sg.. }o,s rat s.sn. To be i'm.
r"fiihi Tic suall capitalist IL not Wy rie4.
49, ~ ~" yorker ~ ro"r The personal r.
at "nstyp between thr two prevents vIol,rt
ogfhtssks At tbs stag Of produttlo -.
rs'lAiY IL Am"rIsa II" more greedy and cat.
saalihf WORKERS wete constantly rising. and
L. "ntuS small capitalists
lut Win .N'ry step IN tic growth of indus
Try. pea'e hrtw'' n tte CAPITALIST and thr work
- becomes i.ss likely. Soan the capitalist
lN'S an aliaE'th"r different life from tn
worker IL" associates only with his own kind
lie builds himself a palace and travels about
til" world Meanwhile the worker continues To
work and sweat In tie shop Neither he nor
oay of tie members OF HIS family meet the
apitalist or his family The capitalists chill
dfen <" to college. The workers children 90
10 work
And thus the two classes come to be wholly
'erarated as regards every aspect OF life The
capitalist who never works comes to despise
work and the workers The worker naturally
tat's the capitalist Who Is taking such huge
profits and paying such low wages. But at
first the workers opinions not clear In
his own mind In fact. few workers even now
understand the real problem which confron,s
them
The Presien Of Labor.
However. IL was very early discovered that
the only way for the workers TO make head
nst thu capitalists organize The
rnrr"s" Of labor unions has been to control. or
partly control the conditions OF labor and the
division Of lahor's product. That is, the work
ets SEX. through their unions To help govern
the Industries instead Of letting the capitalist
10 Just as he pleases. Every demand made by
organized labor upon the capitalists il In the
nature Of a proposed law for the shop. When
The capitalist surrcnders and gives in TO the
demand Of the workers the law Is passed
Tw" kisd. Of Labor Isie.s.
From the beginning OF the labor union move
ment IN America. about 1875. there have always
been two views as regards the methods and
purposes OF unions. Some unionists always
wished to organize only the skilled workers In
small groups and thus advance the price OF
their labor such unions are craft unions or
tfaie unions Th"se do not care much for the
tut.r.stS Of the working class a. whole They
metsly wish to help themselves to better con-
t1uons. II only tho capitalists ~" In To their
demands theN NAY continue 10 oppress mem
hsrS Of other crafts or nnarganized workers
a. much as they pl,as" of course. 50 long
III members OF a craft may better their con-
.ltou In TINS way there Is no argument against
ersn uninnIs sm- 'raft unions Viii sNist as long
- ts> are successful
Esri, tla.. I sia.i.m.
Iiui another Kind of unionism In some form
e other has always from the beginning. been
sdA nsated This Is class unionism. class
Lnion Is one which attempts to unite all the
workers against all the capitalists II recog-
niI'~ the fact that all the workers are suffer
Ing from the same cause. II sees the capita
fsis Whenever driven TO II by their interests.
Hnits solidiN against the workers And usual
/ TIL advocates OF class unionirm have been
w.. enough 10 foresce that II the workers
wish permanent relief from wage-rlayery they
must secure complete control of the industries.
nut when this doctrine was first advocated In
America. eighty years ago. the time WAS not
ripe Tor II The machines We're too small. the
ma rk.ts too limited. and therefore capi.
talism not highly enough organized II
was at that time beautiful and inspiring WIS.,
ion OF what the future was To bring, rather
than a practical policy for the working class
The Growth at the Craft tatss.-
The great error OF the craft unions has been
In thinking that they can permanently better
the condition Of all the members OF their craft.
The skilled worker generally sell himself
ir the open market for only a little more than
the unskilled worker. at most from ten To
t~rnty per cent more Let US take. for exam
pc "A machinist \ man Of average Intelligence
can learn the machinist trade in three years.
II the mach lnist- receive very much more than
the average of the unskilled workers. large
numbers OF the unskilled workers will set
the mselyes to becoming maehinis,s Ry and
by the number Of the machlnists will outrun
tie number Of Jobs 10 be had Then the wages
of the machinists will fall until II Is hut little
more than that ef unskilled labor.