The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1913-06-13
HOUSE UPON SAND
Insecurity of So Called Independ.
ent Trade Unions.
FALL WHEN STORMS ASSAIL.

Folly For Labor Organizations to Az
tempt to Fight the Battle of the
ToiIer AIone-Unity of Effort tho
Only Weapon and Shield.
In the Scriptures (Matthew vii, 2H
we read, in the Sermon on the Mount.
the parable of the wise man whose
house was founded on the rock and the
foolish man whose house was founded
upon the sand, the fan Of the latter
house being described as occurring
when the rains descended. the floods
came and the winds blew"
1t is a long time since this parable
was used by the Carpenter Of Naza-
reth, and it would seem as though men
ought to have learned the folly OF
founding a house upon the sand before
this time but it seems that the folly
still exists with some men, which il
the only way one can account for the
existence of independent unions
In the Carpenter, the official maga-
zine of the Brotherhood Of Carpenters
and Joiners, appeared m article from
which we make quotation which all
wage earners who have independent
tendencies should read.
4 trade union or branch thereof that
bolds aloof from the parent organiza
ton or kindred trades, is like a house
built on sand 1t cannot weather the
storms that never fail to strike its
vulnerable parts, nor can it withstand
the attacks of the invisible enemy ever
lurking under ground and in time It
will tremble and fall Without a solid
foundation and left TO its own limited
resources. the independent, isolated
union becomes an easy prey to the Gle
ments whph lack neither ammunition
nor energy in the efforts to destroy Ia.
hor organization
Yet unfortunately there are some
national tzde unions who 90 it alone.
refusing to affiliate, claiming to be
strong enough to carry themselves to
the goal OF fair living, 10 maintain hu.
name working conditions, decent hours
and wages With clearance to provide
for a rainy day
There are also son,o unions of n,ara
local character which aro nropd - ia
called Independents" aud refuse to af.
filiate with their national or interna.
tional organization Such unions,
though they may for time he success
ful faanerallv boino usad ae tool by
the empIoyer, win soon find thon.
selves shaken bv tbpi, verv inaanond.
anca apd tbav tnttar .nd Fan tnd
tbe larger rbo oraanization tbn more
terrible tho cat,efronho win bo
Tot ns nicti.a far a n,o,oopt bonso
or structure vbero tho diearont mata.
rioIs If i - bn bpilt IF ro,,ld ref,.e
TO assemble Wbat vonld ! hrtol, zr.II
he sbopld ne mortar refnea ~ attarb
to the briers Nm d enl,staptiai ,vou I
nm sura end v,at ,vauid ,oo,.,o,. M
if NOT bronabt ia contae+ win ,,,aso,,,s.
on account of its adhesive norvarg
bean Of rubl,isb
S,Innosin,r tba wood INA iron ~ of,.
or material. wore to ba indanendant
what kind of ! bonsa yo7ld raa7ltq
neani,,olaes mass And ,rh,t v.onId
we tbinl, of the man Who daeionod sncb
a structure Tie wopId very soon find
himself III 4 naddad room rs nnsaro
ana danoerons
Wbot fben sbontd wa mini, of Load.
ers Of These unaGiIjatad nnions Who are
living in houses IniIt an sand and he.
causa the weather bapnans ~ ba favor.
able nreacb ip,lnnandenca2
SbouId We not rather turn 10 tbe s3na
and fartbinl,ipg mon Who nraarh np.
ion for Am trade organizations ~ tba
leaders who ten vou tbat tha weak sfe.
for upion which ron ossfet toda,. na,,