The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-01-07
PASTORS TALKED
TO THE union MEN
Continued From Page one.

LAG IAiASS ABOUT WHICH we diS jt1SASSN.
1. All differences between capital
and labor should be so adjusted as to
bring the greatest good to the greatest
number. In this contest 1t is not
simply the welfare of the laborer and
the welfare of the capitalist that have
to be conserved, but the welfare OF
the whole people.
g. We are all agreed that "the
laborer is worthy of his hire" This
means that he is entitled to not only
enough to live on, but such a tair
share of the product Ct his labor as
will enable him to make the most OF
himself. .
8. We are all agreed that capital
and labor are necessary, each to the
other.
4. We believe that labor has a
right to organize for its own better
ment and protection.
5. We believe that capital has a
right to organize for its w better
ment and protection.
6. We are all agreed that unionism
has done for labor an incalculable
good. It has secured a more reason
able limit to the hours which make
a days work, better sanitary con-
ditions for laborers; the reduction Of
child labor, and a vast number Of
other good things which might be
mentioned.
Now I wish to speak of some Of the
things about which we are not agreed.
/. I cannot agree with you that it
is a good thing for labor to have the
labor unions put the close limit they
do upon the number of apprentices
in shops and factories. Where are
the young men in Fargo who are
learning the plumbers trade, or the
% rnontor'c fro1 10 nr anv nthor oF the
important trades. OF course, the mo-
tive Of this Limitation is obvious-it
is to prevent crowding those who are
already in the trades. What a con-
trast between the method Of the labor
unions in this regard and the methods
Of workers in other lines. In Fargo
college there are some students who
are preparing to be doctors, and they
are taking some studies in the col
lege which really belong to a medical
course. To make this possible a Far
go doctor, with a large practice, and
a very busy man, gives his services
free to go up to the college and help
those budding doctors along. He
knows perfectly we'll hat when they
become doctors they will increase the
croWding in his profession, and that
profession Is already greatly over
crowded. In the same free way law
yers help young men to become law
yers. The purpose of the workers in
these classes is to give the freest pos
sible opportunity for every young man
to rise, while the effort of the labor
union seems to be to exclude the new
m from the protection of the old
hand.
2. I cannot agree with you that it
is a good thing for labor to have the
labor unions established a minimum
wage upon the basis Of what a good
workman can carr, rather than upon
the basis Of what the individual work
er does earn. The minimum wage in
reality becomes the uniform wage,
and a uniform wage, to men whose
abilities are not equal, works harm to
the weaker MAJ soner or later, be-
sides being an injustice to the m
ployer. How does such a plan work
out. An employer soon finds out who
who are the men that can really earn
the wage he is paying, and in n way
or another the men who cannot earn
the wage lose their job. 1t would be
vastly better for the weaker laborer,
and for everybody else, If the wages
were adjusted according to earning
capacity. then the weaker man could
have just as steady employment as
others.
8. My most serious disagreement
with you, however, is upon the matter
Of the closed shop. Perhaps I can IL
lustrate my view so that it will be
palmer than it could be made by a
statement. In the state of North Da-
kota there is a State Teachers asso-
citation. A large proportion of the
public school teachers Of the state be-
long to it. 1t is a splendid thing. 1t
helps the teachers to be better teach
ers. 1t costs money to belong to 1t,
not only for membership fees. but for
travelling expenses to attend it's meet
ings. But membership Is worth good
money, for the association helps to
make the teachers better workers and
does a great deal to help improve the
conditions under which they work,
just Is the labor unions help to make
better workers and help to improve
the conditions under which they work.
o suppose the members Of this
State Teachers association should
send a boss teacher to the Fargo city
school board, and he should say to
that board, If you hire any teachers
! n your schools that are not members
Of our State Teachers association no
one of our teachers will be allowed to
teach in the Fargo schools. Do you
think the people of Fargo would stand
for that kind Of 'dictation?
w licll J. Was al ZIG east L USlUllSSu
to a ministerial association, the pur-
pose of which was to help it's members
to become more efficient ministers.
Suppose we had said to the churches,
in the group Of churches we were serv-
ing: If any church in. this group
hires a minister that does not belong
to our association we will all resign.
What do you think those churches
would have said and done? They
would houn Sotl. II ic x,o ~ c1ooN tho
1t is about time you were moving on.
Then there is another phase of the
closed shop proposition.
Take the situation as it is in Fargo
today. On one side you have the or
ganiZed builders, and on the other you
have the organized trades. II the or
ganized trades insist that the organ
lied builders shall hire only such
workmen as belong to their union,
then the organized builders have a
right to insist that the workmen shall
work only for such builders as belong
to their union.
The doctrine of the closed shop is
unethical, unreasonable, undemocratic
and un-American.
Walters Urged Arbitration.
DR.. Walters begged to be excused
from the making of a long speech, as
he was unwell. He urged arbitration,
II possible, and advocated the appoint
ment of q committee to arbitrate the
matter at issue. He called attention
to the grave harm which can be done
a municipality by strikes mi lock-
outs which remain unadjusted, as peo-
pie hesitate to push construction
work while there are labor troubles in
the city. He urged the opening of the
question to the public opinion.
Rev. Mr.. Peterson brought out the
difference between the situation in
Fargo and in Calumet, Mich, where