El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-09-28

, fewest strikes, and as the organization
| OF labor becomes more complete the
! strikes become less and less. The rea-
/ son for this is that collective bargain
| ing is more easily possible under that
condition. Both parties to the contract
are better able to fix terms and carry
them out"
do you think that a general strike
all over the country is possible?"
what is the ideal condition that
should exist between the employer and
the employee"
a condition of partnership and OF
equal rights. There is an implied part
nership now, but the difficulty is that
the employer does not recognize it. He
assumes that his plant is his property,
and that he has a right to do with it
as he pleaSeS and to run it as he
pleaSes He fails to grasp the idea
is not a laW-created and laW-prOtected
title. Society has allowed private in
dividuals or corporations TO hold GER
tain rights only for its protection and
development Now. if society has cre-
ated the title. for its protection, society
can modify that title whenever il deems
necessary for its protection. There
fore when the employer claims the
factory as his own to do with as he
pIeases, he fails to realize that he has
no title to the factory except insofar
as society permits"
Eight Hour Day is Coming.
viii the time come when we will
have an eight hour day everywhere in
the United States%
That is the condition now in most
of the states in many industrial occu-
pations. In Arizona we have the eight
hour day in underground mines and
workings. In California the same is
true as TO mines, smelters and public
works of any kind, and il is likewise
so in Colorado. In COnpecticut the
hours of labor are eight, Gnless other
wise agreed, and engineers, firemen
and machiniStS and other mechanics
employed in state Institutions may not
work more than eight hours except in
cases of emergency In nearly all the
states eight hours is the rule upon
all pubic works, and 1t is nearly
everywhere so in the mines and Smelt-
ers. 1t is so in Illinois in all mechan-
fcaI employmentS, and it is so on the
public highways. Eight hours IS the
rule in Indiana, and IT is so IN Massa-
chusetts as to all laborers anc me-
the state / might go on and show the
same for nearly every state in the
union"
than an eight hour day.?
THAT is POSSIBLE. There are some in
dustries in England where the day Is
now less than eight hours. This has
been the case for the past 30 years in
the coal mines of Northumberland.
where the men have been working only
six hours a day
Labor Conditions Are Improving.
Are the conditions or labor improv-
ing?"
Eyes. there is no doubt of that"
What would you say about organ
lied labor as a trust? Why should 1t
not be handled on the same ground as
other mOnOpOlies2"
Il would say that an organization
should not be opposed or destroyed
simply because it is an organization:
The laws for centuries have permitted
the organization of corporations, and |
such permissions will be continued. |
The opposition to trusts and monopo- !
lies arises because they enable a few |
men to dictate 10 the producer what he |
shall receive for his production. and !
10 the consumer what he shall nay for !
The things he consumes. This can