The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1915-01-29
BY SAMUEL GoMPERS.

~ and necessity of shorter
workday. Difference OF opin-
lon arises only as to method. Indus
trial purposes may be gained in two
ways-by independent private action
or by official general action. The meth
cd chosen depends upon the nature OF
the problem and the conditions to be
dealt with. In matters concerning
their welfare the workers have found
by experience that they are best judges
of their own needs and welfare. They
have learned TO treasure as priceless
heritage personal freedom, the right
to direct their own actions, the right
to seek their own welfare. The con
troll over contractual relations is the
key to industrial liberty. 1t is gener-
ally conceded that under present in
dustrial conditions workers secure this
liberty only through collective effort
This is the purpose OF the trade union
A Voluntary Organization.
The trade union is voluntary or
gantzation, responsive to the changing
needs and demands of the workers. 1t
is an agent of greatest hexibility and
adjustabiiity. enabling the workers to
take opportunist advantages of all de-
velopments. 1t is an agency that per
mits of direct speedy action. When
control over personal freedom is In
trusted to an outside authority limita-
uons are placed upon personal liberty.
After conditions are once stabiished
changes can be made only by indirect
action through third parties. All of
the r1gidity that obtains in law mill
tates against change. Now the organ
iZat1on of industry is SO delicate and
so flexible that rigidity of agents
would deprive workers of many possi-
BILE benefits. Experience has demon
strated this The history of all at
tempts to fix hours of labor or wages
by laws, maximum or minimum, for
the workers generally shows that they
resulted In Stacking the workers with
bonds that had to be broken before
further progress could be made.
Then again an eight hour day estab-
lished by law is enforced by govern
mental agents. Their welfare is taken
from under their immediate control,
and IL not well administered control
can be regained only by prolonged eff
fort and indirect methods 1t has been
demonstrated that governmental Off
GERS perform their duties In a spirit
which general opinion demands. En-
forcement of labor legislation depends
upon the effective force of organized
opinion among the workers, which In
turn depends upon economic organiza-
ton. Now, it has been demonstrated
that when the achievement of econom-
ic ends is entrusted to governmental
agents economic organization is weak
ened. So proceeds the vicious circle
that saps the strength and vitality OF
the only dependable protection for the
toilers.
Campaign For Eight Hour Day
In 1885 the organizations affiliated
to the American Federation of Labor
inaugurated campaign to reduce thei
hours of labor to eight by May /, 1885
The general concerted movement be
gun then by organizations to establish
shorter work days continues with In
creasing power and effectiveness
Whatever has been done to decrease
the number of hours that the workers
must toll daily has been accomplished
by the organizations Of the workers
No one can deny that the labor move
ment has made tremendous progress
during the past thirty four years In de
creasing the hours OF labor. TO SOM
this progress may seem slow, but whel
considered In connection with the com
plications and difficulties involved 1t
a magnificent achievement. Each grou
OF workers that has forced its way q
to a vantage ground has been fore
to help other fellow workers upward
Slowly and steadily as this leverag
group has grown, so has the chain o
workers assisted from the depths o
grinding labor through many hours.
In opposition to the established po
icy OF the A. +. of l., founded upo
principles of efficiency and human fret
dom, come those who would lead a
workers into the promised land by
short cut" Just little writing upo
a ballot and the whole nature and o.
ganization OF industry is changed
the twinkling OF an eye. Let eigf
hour laws be enacted for all men an
women That is all we need. prescrit
these theorists Trust all things to th
government, for the government
good, wise and all powerful. Let til
government tell employers to estal
Iish general eight hour work day an
straightway 1t shall be so.
Alas for such trusting. guileless faitI
Legislation Is effective only when
expresses the will Of the people, pc
pie able and ready to enforce the
will. Until the working people are CO.
vinced they must have the eight hol
day 1t would not be enforced. in OF
er words. progress depends upon ind
vidual development and collective, q
termined expression.
Form Industrial Body.
Shop employees of the Cincinna1
Hamilton and Dayton railroad have
ganized a shop federation. which ]
cludes all crafts OF this system.