The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1913-09-27

At the convention of the I. w. w. the other day in
Chicago, Tom Manu. the English syndica1s in speech
before that body declared that Samuel Gompers pres
dent OF the American Federation of Labor, re-
dictionary, and he had "gotten away from sympathetic
understanding with the needs of the great army of
down unskilled laborers."
Mr. Mann, to add to his venom and aping after Post
Parry and Kirby repeated their oft made declaration
said: Gompers is virtually at the head of the Ameri-
can Labor Trust Instead of welcoming into its men,
bership all who need the benefits Organization the
Labor Trust draws line, excluding the unskilled."
Mann knows better; he ought to be ashamed of him.
self for making such rash and foolish statement But
he probably be excused for he making speech
to convention of pipe dreamers," to whom false and
extravagant accusations music
The !. w. w. is reaping it's harvest by preyne UPON
the preudtces of the unskled laborers this
having any greater in unoniZng them
than the A. F. of L. has had? Oh yes, it is collecting
their money, but what is it giving in return? Nothing
but wind and promises it has been able to fulfill
But the door of the American Federation of Labor is
wide open for the unsked laborer Notwithstanding any
statement that Tom Mann may make. We have in Du-
luth several trade unions of unskiled workmen of
which is than 20 years old, and these unions
met with the same measure of success has to
the skilled workmen in organization.
The lumber showers union is organization Of un-
skilled laborers 1t is and has been for many years
100 cent strong 1t enjoys the union shop,
received by its members exceed those paid
tradesmen Before they organized they we're lower
level than most unskilled workmen Their wages
low; they paid in saloons; they worked Irregular
ly Sundays and late at night often all night with
out extra It is different now. The contractors
have been eliminated they paid the job Sunday
labor has been abolished and they paid time and
onehalf and double time for night and holiday labor.
Has any trade union under the achieved more?
But these organized, and that is the secret of
their success What the unskilled lumber shower has
done through organization the other unskled laborers
do Their achievements have been by and through
the F. of L. plan of organization. 1t is the kind
wins when it is fully and faithfully tried The
showers helped themselves they did wait for others
to to their relief. They weak and they made
themselves strong and that is exactly what others of
their kind do.
The trouble with the poor unskied worker is that
he has been put the wrong track by irresponsible
and unreliable wind TANNERS, having but superficial
knowledge of the labor movement, who find him good
listener and prey for any old kind of pretending
political Industrial organization that is emphatic in
its indictment of the wrongs from which he has long
suffered.
How long he will continue to be duped he alone
knows. His salvation, however, is in we'll tried
structve trade unionsm. He must organize and then
he must work faithfully and hard to perfect his
ganizaton When he does this he will find himself grad
ualy rising and keeping with the other laborers
who had. the good sense to organize before him.
These good things do not silver platters.
is up to the unskilled laborer to do something for
himself and the A. F. Of L. stands ready to get be-
hind him and help him in his efforts The door is open.
We bid him welcome. We have the institution and the
machinery. It is his for the asking.