The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1914-11-27
STANDS FOR PEACE
Labor Movement Is Not a Strife
Seeking Institution.
STRIKE ONLY AS LAST RESORT
When All Peaceful Methods of Right
ing Wrongs Are Rejected by En-
pIoyers Then the Unionist Goes to
War-value of Organized Effort.

War-Value of Organized Effort.
The labor movement is not 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 go 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
eTS nave UluUp IL uDSOlultIy tSSeutldl
to the welfare of the toilers.
An organizatio 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 OH effective fights in an emer
gcncy.
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 Il weak inSti-
| tuition unable to enforce respect An
organized body of workers that would
not fight would lie 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 lighting 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 a 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 i'm 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
wife 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
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 we'll 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
one 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 Ak to grind and is looking for vic
tim to turn the stone for him without
adequate compensation Labor Cha
| rion.
Demand Comr ensatloa
The executive committee of rhe North