The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1913-08-29
THE MOTIVE
Fuller, Purer and Happier Lives
for Toilers Through the
Strength of Organ
iZation.

s.m HE climax OF The spectacu-
N lar is the parade.
The elimination of the an
49, nlversary or celebration Is
the long train of marchers
rejoicing over victories. Tx most i'm
pressive tribute to Man is the march
with him to his tomb.
Labor has victories to celebrate,
gains to rejoice over, tribute to pay
The work of the labor movement has
been mainly along three lines: infiu-
encing OF public opinion, legislative
effort. and the direct improvement of
the labor condition. of its members
This last line of work has absorbed
most OF its time and energy, and it's
success has been gratifying, though
not SO great as 1t might have been had
its efforts been directed against the
causes instead of the effects, writes
Henry Sterling. In Joe Chapples News
Letter.
Nearly every humane measure on
any statute book in any land is the
outcome of intense, protracted strug-
gle. Each was suggested first by la
boring men and women, generally in
a labor union. Churches have pre-
pared men for another world, but labor
unions have sweetened life In this.
The press. the politician, the court, the
philanthropist have all worked In their
own way for the uplift of humanity;
the unions have taken millions of chill
dren from blighting toll and sent them
to school. and that is the only effectual
means of uplift.
Low wages, and fear of idleness and
want, drive men to long hours of labor
that exhaust them physically, morally
and spiritually. Again, fear off losing
a job induces species of servility, a
submission to petty tyranny and exac-
tons. that is wholly foreign to man
ly spirit. Ready, prompt, cheerful
obedience to proper orders is virtue
that becomes n man. but he whose
necessities compel submission to in
dignity and imposition is pitiable OBJ
ject indeed.
Better wages. hours and labor con-
ditions are the things essential for a
better civilization. The union makes
no mistake when 1t demands them.
The unions have said that wages are
too low to live properly; the result is
an increase of a million dollars a day.
They said that the working day was
too long, that we lacked time for ed
ucation or recreation. The hours of
labor are being rapidly reduced, not
only for union men, but for all men.
The conditions. sanitary and other
wise, under which humanity toiled, al
ways inhuman, often indecent La
boris protest has brought about some
improvement. and promise OF more.
Laws to protect labor, especially child
and woman labor. and to promote it's
welfare, now fill volumes. Fifty years
ago small pamphlet would AFFORD
space for them all.
This year we have made provision
for the care of every man injured at
his work. and for the support of his |
family. When we consider that there |
Is at least one worker killed in Massa- |
chusetts at his labor every day. and |
nearly two hundred injured. we con
ceive that we have done a great work |
in assuring them against want
These are some OF the things which |
we have accomplished. and it is fitting |
that we should set aside a day to cele.
brate victories. rejoice over our gains, |
and gather renewed strength and
cheer for future battles.
But all these achievements are small |
compared to one now becoming more
and more apparent. We are conquer
Ing public opinion. awakening the con-
science Of the people to the justice of
our demand for greater means. more
leisure and better conditions OF labor.