The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1914-01-02

! Trade Organization-Union Is Strong
or Weak as Membership Wills.
| Some recent court procedure, while
limed at the very existence of the
,rade unions, will nevertheless be pro
| luctive of good if it impreSses on the
Individual member his responsibility
! 'or the acts of the union irrespective
rs to whether he was or was not pres
ant at the meeting at which certain ac-
ion may have been taken. The stay
1t home element is the greatest drag
10 trade union effort The trade union
S the most important society with
which the wage Garner is affiliated
1t is his bread and butter organization
| Under our present wage system it fixes
the conditions under which he works
and the money return for his labor
| Nothing can be more important to the
| toiler from an existence standpoint
than the wage and conditions under
which he labors, for these directly af-
feet the enjoyment of life and the pur-
suit Of happiness.
| Radicalism used in its worst and de
structive sense means the ruinatiOn of
the trade unions and the consequent
and sure deterioration in conditions
which have been established by trade
union effort under the trade union sys-
tenn 1t may be and possibly will be
that the disintegration of the trade un-
ions will be a cause for additional So
cial unrest, but it is also asserted that
with this additional social unrest will
then depart the most effective weapon
for the satisfaction of it's legitimate
aims.
The hypercritical member Of the
trade union the SNUG and contented
member, the member with the idea
that he is socially superior to his en-
vironment and his fellows, the self
conferred member-in brief, the short
sighted and unwise member who alb
sents himself from the meetings of his
trade union-is directly and surely aid
ing the disciples of radicalism to
achieve their masked desires.
Remember that you are responsible
for your union and its welfare You
cannot shirk that responsibility. The
union is what you and your colleagues
make it. 1t can and should be pow
erfuI engine for justice for the wage
Garner. The wage earner's future is in
his own hands. He must work out his
own destiny He has an instrument
ready at hand in his trade union for
his elevation to a higher and better
sphere He must use that instrument
with care and discretion.
Do your duty to yourself and those
dependent upon you.
Attend the meetings of your union.
That many of the evils of which we
| complain nearly all of the misunder-
| standing and a great proportion of the
unfounded criticism would be eliminat-
ed if we had a better attendance at
union meetings is an opinion formed
by me as a result of many years of
trade union experience, both as
member of local union. an officer of
that union and an officer of the inter
national organization. The men and
women who get to the union meetings
understand the policies that are being
made effective and, as general rule
are well satisfied with the progress
that we are making. But whether
they are satisfied or not they know
what they are talking about, for they
have the facts first hand. In a num-
Der Of our local unions the rebate sys-
TEN Of dues is in effect and seems to
be giving satisfaction. or at least
brings about a large attendance of
members But whatever method may
be adopted. if it will result in more
members at the meetings it is bound
to be source of strength TO the I'M
ion We want intelligent criticism,
and we want suggestions that are
based on knowledge and experience,
This criticism and these suggestions
will come In greater proportion Of wis
dom if the members first learn of their
local union and their international or
ganization from attendance at local IN
ion meetings James NJ Lynch, Presi-
dent international Typographical I'm
ion