The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-04-02
WORKERS WELFARE
IN THEIR own HANDS
Organized Labor Must Retain
Control Of lis Affairs.
HwO methods have been devised

for dealing with the wrongs
and II, Justice that have been
imposed upon the workers
Some have put their faith In party
political action and have trusted the
solution Of labor problems to leels'a'
ton. Others have based all acuon
upon the principle that free workers
must never delegate to outside author-
ity ultimate control over determining
conditions and terms Of personal reia'
tons between employers and employ
ees. bat the workers themselves must
assume responsibility for their own
welfare.
Those who advocate the 1rst method
are the parliamentarians who propose
to secure reforms through enactlng
laws to establish desired purposes
The laws must be made by the official
lawmakers and enforced by the ad'
ministrative agents Of the state. The
people vitality affected by the legtsla-
ton have indirect control. If any. over
the formulation and enforcement OF
the regulation. Responsibility for ul
innate results is shifted.
Those who advocate the second meth
cd are the trade unionists who subor-
dinate political action to economic &C
tivity. They hold that the key to In
dustrial freedom, which Is real free
dom for the working people, is mainte-
nance of strong, virile, resourceful eco
nomic organizations, aware OF their
power and using 1t most effectively.
They hold that unions which let go
ultimate control over industrial vel
fare stultify initiative. weaken the
fighting force of the trade unionists
and hence undermine their power phys
ically. politically and socially.
The English workers found that or.
ganixation into aggressive, virile trade
unions was necessary to free the work
ers from the letters that legislation had
fastened upon them and to enable the
workers to secure for themselves bet
ter conditions of work. higher wages
and shorter work day.
The lessons of English history, as
well as the recent happenings in Amer
ican states raise fears as to the future
of those workers who put their trust in
laws to secure for workers higher
wages, a shorter work day and better
conditions of work,
The trade union movement Of Amer
lea has just finished one great stage In
the effort to free the workers Of Amer
lea from legislation that hindered their
efforts and activities to protect and ad-
vance their own interests and to work
out their own welfare. The labor sec
lions of the Clayton act secure to the
workers Industrial freedom and give
them the legal right to collective econo
mic activity.
Is 1t wise then for the workers to Jeo-
pardfze that industrial freedom by
seeking to secure legislation establish
ing hours Of work or minimum stand
ards of pay? Administration Of law is
entrusted to political agents. There is
no guarantee that standards or ad-
ministrative acts determined by 20
htical agents will always be for the
best interests OF the workers. On the
other hand. there is reason to fear that
they will jeopardize the best interests
of labor.
Let the workers keep in their own
hands and under their immediate con.
troll regulation OF matters that vitality
affect Industrial welfare. Organizations
of workers aware Of their own inter
ests and alert to further that which
promotes their own welfare are more
capable OF steadily securing wider op
portunities and better things than any
outside agents to whom this RESPONSE
bility can be delegated. The way to in
dustrial betterment and progress and
freedom lies In our well tried policy
educate, agitate. organize - Samuel
Gompers.