The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1914-11-20
STANDS FOR PEACE.
Labor Movement Is Not a Strife
Seeking Institution.
STRIKE ONLY AS LAST RESORT

pioyers Then the Unonist Goes to
War-vaIue of Organized Effort.
The labor movement Is not q fight
seeking institution. Unionists are thor
oughly peace loving individuals, though
they sometimes fight vigorously, stub
bornly and efficiently for the estab-
lishment of justice in the industrial
world. Because of the fact that unions
do fight when it becomes necessary
many people have been led to believe
them to be primarily fighting ma
chimes. Those who 60 to the trouble
Of studying the movement sufficiently
to understand it, however, readily be-
come convinced of the peaceful mo-
tives which actuate the entire labor
movement.
The fighting the unions have done is
altogether to their credit. They have
never hesitated to fight after all peace,
full efforts of adjustment of wrongs
have failed. though In practice the
fight has always been the last resort.
and only approved when the stubborn
ness and unreasonableness of employ
ers have made it absolutely essential
to the welfare of the toilers.
An organization that would not fight
under any circumstances would be of
no value whatever to the workers, be-
cause the greedy and selfish employer
would pay no heed to such an institu-
ton. There would therefore be no
purpose in maintaining unions that
would not fight Unions are organized
and maintained to force unfair en-
ployers to treat fairly with the work
ers. No such show of power is neces-
sary in dealing with the reasonable
and fair employer, but the competition
of the cheap labor huckstering rival
frequently forces men who desire to
treat fairly with the workers to pur-
sue an opposite course. Because of
this the unions,- though DESTROYS Of
peace and harmony, must be prepared
to carry ON effective fights in an emer-
gency.
If the unions were not capable of
putting up vigorous fight there are
many employers who would not only
refuse to arbitrate differences, but
would deny to their employees the
right to collectively bargain for i'm
proved conditions. because. after all,
he is an exceptional man who will
bargain to his loss with a weak insti-
tuition unable to enforce respect. An
organized body of workers that would
not fight would be just as useless as
are the mud pies the little children
amuse themselves in making.
1t is because of the fact that labor
does maintain effective fighting equip
ment and will make use Of it when
necessary that the greedy, tYrannical
employer is able to convince persons
who are unfamiliar with the labor
movement and its purposes that it is
entirely fighting machine and seeks
the opportunity to engage in struggles
with employers. The shout of the self
| seeking and greedy parasite against
| unions, however, is not listened to to-
day with the credence formerly accord
ed because vast number of people
now understand the movement. its
purposes, desires and methods, and be-
cause they have come to know more
about those who oppose labor organi-.
cations.
Labor organizations. being made up
| Of human beings, very naturally some
times make mistakes. but they are no
more prone to err than are men and
women engaged in other activities. In
| fact, they are less apt to make mis-
takes. because the members are aware
| that unfair, unreasonable and bitter
criticism will be leveled at them and
are therefore doubly cautious and care
| full in the conduct of their affairs.
While 1t may seem to the disinterest-
ed and uninitiated a rather broad and
reckless statement. we desire to assert
| that in almost every instance where
men continually assail organized labor
| investigation will reveal INSCRIPTIONS
and greedy records. There are. it is
| true few exceptions. but they are so
| few as to be inconsequential. We in
vite any fair. open minded man who
| doubts the accuracy of this assertion
to impartially inquire into the facts.
No employer of labor who is fair and
reasonable and has had dealings with
organized labor has ever, on the whole.
regretted so doing because of the fight
ing spirit of the unions. He knows that
such spirit must be maintained In
emergencies or the unions might just
as well disband. so far as their useful
ness is concerned. He knows also that
the unions are always DESTROYS of peace
and only fight when no other course Is
left open to them. When the issue Is
ore Of fight or be slaves the unions
fight, and they would be unworthy the
attention of decent men and women
were they to do otherwise.
Beware of the fellow who tries to
persuade you that labor organizations
do not favor peace. He generally has
an ax to grind and is looking for vic
tim to turn the stone for him without
adequate compensation - Labor Cla-