Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-05-14

procedure is opposed to the common I'M
derstanding OF business methods. and
J. That arbitration never affects any
real settlement but merely puts off the
EVIL day when an issue must be fought
on its merits.
a discussion Of these ideas involves
a consideration of the entire labor
problem and its solution, the objects
and purposes of true unionsm. ami
the place and function of arbitration
in Industrial disputes.
AT the outset let ii be understood
that there is no solution of the labor
problem nor is there likely To be any.
The most that can be looked for, or
even hoped for. is Improvement in
working conditions and the establish
ment of q living wage as distinguished
from mere subsistence wage Since
the world broke away from the re-
straint imposed by the limitations of
feudalism and commerce. trade and
industry took the place of VAR and
plumber there has been Il labor prob
lem As time went on, and as civiii-
cation advanced bringing with 1t new
conditions and added complexities the
labor problem grew and became more
involved. As long as the object of
business is the making of money just
so long will there be labor problem.
AS long as there is labor problem just
so long will there be the necessity for
the Union. Whatever advantages
have accrued to labor has been
brought through unionism. Business
is business-and business is not
philanthropic except as Il matter of
expediency.
The gentleman to whom | have re-
ferred evidently regards labor as
mere factor in the work Of production.
His philosophy does not comprehend
the human aspect of that factor and
is concerned only with II as an item
S Of cost of operation or production and
10 be valued variously and vicarious-
ly On the other hand unionsm's
first concern is with the human as
pect of the situation. All develop
Inent and all progress begins with,
centres around and ends with human
creatures.
That organization discipline brushes
out individualistic sentiment and opn-
ion is not only untrue but absurd A
Union is the result of a concensus of
opinion, of necessity of majority
ii
unanimous opinion. 1t may be urged
that a majority opinion is not always
the best and safest opinion, yet it does
not follow that a minority opinion is
necessarily infallible. With human
ity as it is at present constituted
there is no way of securing collective
action except through the opinion and
rule of the majority.
1t has been suggested that labor or
CARNATIONS should have referendum
on all matters of Importance. They
generally do and the action on the re-
suit of that referendum is still a ma
jority opinion.
In q true labor organization the
final control and the ultimate policy is
never out of the hands of the menu
bers. Our Brotherhood neither de-
71mands nor expects blind obedience
from it's members.
The charge that organization att
tude, practice and procedure il OPP
posed to the common understanding
of business methods is something ex-
traordinary. At the very outset it
behooves us to find out just what is
meant by business methods" After
we have determined that il may be-
come important to know what is
meant by common understanding"
Business methods is a very elastic
term it may mean one thing to the
employed and another to the employ
err If by business methods" is
meant the sacrifice of the worker, the
compelling him to work for that
which merely sufflces To keep body
and soul together and which results
in a lowered vitality and decreased
efficiency, Unionism is opposed to it
unalterably opposed to it, for the very
reason that Unionism's first concern
is the conservation of the human
creature. Labors demand for fair
share of the returns of industry is not
based upon the ground of investment
or speculation, but upon the ground of
mans duty to himself and to the
community. An industry that can
exist only by forcing down the wages
of it's employees, and reducing them
to the status of the beasts of burden.
has developed business methods"