The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-04

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The task that confronts; organized
labor is. in . general way, to complete
the Organization. At the present time
the organization of. labor in America
IS very Incomplete, and yet some. are
disposed to charge every wrongful
condition that exists up to the alleged
inefictency of the labor unions, With
out taking into, consideration the large,
proportion Of the workers, or large
sections Of the country that are not
organized at all -, -
In discussing the relative amount of
union versus non-union sentiment, the
Iron city Trades Journal says, With a
population. Of 100. 900, 900. under sits
flag and. with a. total. area almost
equalling that Of Europe, the United
States contains large districts, to-
gether with considerable strata of So
ciety in every district, in which non
unionism is the normal and natural
condition OF the family bread-winners.
In our agricultural states and in the
dependencies. wherever; In TACT. the
landowners and the. tiller, of the soil
are one. or even where the Qualified
tenant farmer is yet so rare as to be
in demand. the principle OF trade UNI
ionism Invariably. makes. slow head,
way. Also, among many professional
and commercial men. WHO. though o.
fertng their labor. for "a hire, find it
difficult to establish; a common scale
the expectations OF each being to
find himself soma: day, in one Of the.
highly priced places Of his calling
the prevailing spirit is decidedly that
OF competition as against another,
though it may be that Of combination
against individuals not yet admitted,
to their ranks. Even members of the
typical professional society or league,
who do not term their remuneration
wages but fees or salaries, are often
unaware of having taken up, with
trade union principles" by organizing
and have no sympathy with 3 wage
strikes. $500 i: -. $50. -
:: The Unorganizable, :. :
In the earlier. days Of our republic,
when agriculture was>,the pursuit OF
three-fourths of the population. indi:-
vidual initiative, knowledge of ones
calling and the virtues Of personal
thrift were usually sufficient to bring
at least a n1odicum of success. At a
time when developing trade unionism
was absorbing much public attention
in Great Britain and being hailed by
the working p ople there az an insti-
tuition promising more. TO- their ma
terial welfare than any other, Amer
leans in general were as yet bestow-
ing upon the organization of labor
scarcely a passing thought. Rene
dies for low wages or non-employ-
men: for our wageworkers of that
period was to go west, or to move
from place to place, or to change
from one occupation to another-in
any event to hustle" reach OUT
with faith: In the Astounding oppor-
tunities then existing in the new and
rich land. The social spirit en- our-
aged each man to launch out and do
tor himself. II paddle my own canoe, -
was 2 popular boast: - /.
The: individual proved his manhood
by getting ahead which almost. ii:
,variably meant shrewdness In amass-
ing wealth. no matter by whom pro-
dueed. The oldest of the trade union
lists of this country can remember
when the maxims which guided men
to prosperity in business, or: in cleo
ton to office, were those. which I'M
posed injunctions" upon each person
to work for himself exclusively and
avoid entangling alliances with others
especially with any : of his weaker
brethren. The youngest Of our trade
unionists may every day hear of peo-
pie who believe that these maxim.
still hold good. =: $3.50. s.~..
Trade unionism in this country: has
had its way against what was un=
doubleday the .,original American
spirit-in business. ALL citizens, in
Guiding the farmers, were assumed ia
be in business, producing and selling
for themselves. If g.. man was not in
business, he was, if made. Of good
stuff, expected to be on the, way
through working, skimping and saw
ing, to going into business, whether in
agriculture, trade, manufacturing, OF
a profession. To q ssef made = man
who ardently. held to this conception
Of society, which involves the princi.
pie that: to- be successful one: must