The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1914-09-04
ORGANIZED LABOR
One of Its Functions Is to In
crease the ToilerS' Share.
THE PROCESS is CONTINUAL.

ter Human Conditions - American
Federation of Labor Striving to Help
All Who Work For Wages.
| The workers of the United States do
not receive the full product Of their
labor. 1t is impossible for any one to
say definitely what proportion the
workers receive in payment for their
labor. but due to the organized labor
movement they have received and are
receiving a larger share of the product
of their labor than ever before in the
history of modern industry. One of
the functions of organized labor is to
increase the share of the workers in
the product Of their labor. Organized
labor makes constantly increasing de
mands upon society for rewards for the
services which the workers give to So
ciety and without which civilized life
would be impossible. The process of
increasing the share is not always
gradual, but it is continual The or
ganized labor movement has generally
succeeded in forcing an increase in the
proportion the workers receive of the
general product.
The working people-and l prefer to
say working people and to speak of
them as really human beings-are
prompted by the same desires, the
same hopes of a better life as are all
other people. They are not willing to
wait for a better life until after they
have shuffled off this mortal coil, but
they want improvements here and now
They want to make conditions better
for their children so that they may be
prepared to meet other and new prob
lens of their time. The working peo-
pie are pressing forward, making their
demands and presenting their claims
with whatever power they can exercise
in natural, normal manner to secure
larger and constantly increasing
share of what they produce. They are
working toward the highest and the
best ideals of social justice.
The intelligent, common sense work
ingmen prefer to deal with the prob
lens Of today. with which they must
contend if they want to make advance
ments, rather than to deal with a
picture and dream which have never
had, and, l am sure, will never have,
any reality in the affairs of humanity,
and which threaten. if they could be
introduced, the most pernicious system
for circumscribing effort and activity
that has ever been invented.
Tho x.,orl-a re will navar cton in anv
effort, nor will they stop at any point
in an effort to secure greater improve
ments in conditions or for better life
in all its phases. Where these efforts
may lead, what that better life may be-
do not care to predict. l decline to
permit my mind or my activities to be
labeled or limited by any particularism
because Of adherence to a theory or a
dream The American Federation Of
Labor is neither governed in its ac-
tivities by a so called social philoso-
ply" nor does it work "blindly from
day to day" Its work is well planned
to be continually Of the greatest benefit
to the working people to protect and
promote their rights and interests in
every field of human activity.
The A. F. of L. is guided by the his
tory of the past. 1t draws lessons
from history in order to interpret con-
ditionS which confront working people
so that it may work along the lines of
least resistance to accomplish the best
results in improving the conditions Of
the working men, women and children
today, tomorrow and tomorrow's NOR
row, making each day better day
than the one which went before. That
is the guiding principle, philosophy and
aim of the labor movement.
In improving conditions from day to
day the organized labor movement has
no fixed program" for human prog
ress. If you start out with pro-
gram everything must conform to it.
With theorists, if facts do not conform
to their theories, then so much the
worse for the facts Their declarations
of theories and actions refuse to be
hampered by facts. We do not set
any particular standard. but work for
the best possible conditions immedi-
ately obtainab BILE for the workers. When
they are obtained then we strive for
better.
1t does not require any elaborate So
cial philosophy or great discernment to
know that q wage of So day and a
workday of eight hours in sanitary
workshops are better than $3.50 day
and a workday of twelve hours under
perilous conditions. The working peo-
Pile will not stop when any particular
point is reached they will never stop
in their efforts to obtain better. life
for themselves, for their wives. for
their children and for all humanity.
The object is to attain complete So
cial justice.-Samuel Gompers Before