South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-10-28
ORGANIZED AND UNORGANIZED LABOR

Everything about the address of Pres't Samuel Com
pers of the American Federation of Labor at the high
school auditorium Thursday night significant OF
the great labor movement America. that to it
bv without comment resardless of political considera-
tions would shrin sing DUTY which the press owes
TO the masses of mankind who live by their sweat
For the labor movement represented by organized
labor mas as truly been the salvation Of all labor IN
this country and we'll as Christianity
through the organized church. represents the growing
salvation of the world organized labor that has
buneted the storms, that has led in the race. and
kent ,yaee-sIagery from becoming the successor Of
chain slavery wiped by the fire and blood of 81
and 90 Through its benefcent work in spite of its
many bunders and mistakes. has held the labor
movement down evolution in the main, though
now and then breaking out into REVOLUTIONARY revo-
luton is merely evolution running riot. Fundamen-
tally agitation. education, legislation is its mode Of
procedure the latter reality being the end aimed
~: an end beneficial wor1ers-since legislation
is bound to generalze rather than specialize in the
ultimate results.
Attempts locally to array the unorganzed working
men against the organized and not only locally, but
throughout the country. may be fit occupation for
employers but worker who succumbs to it is merely
biting his own nose spite his face 1t is all
right for railroad managers to organize eighty
cent movement among their unorganzed men, who
because of their being trainmen engaged in the
operation Interstate could under the
Adamson law, but it is only the ignorant gullble or
bought that they will able to corral Intelligent
workingmen know that congress is limited to legisla-
ton involving commerce between states, and cannot
Iegislate for workingmen wholly Wi hin state In
telistnt workngmen also know TINT the Adamson law
makes no distinction between organized and
lied workingmen. and if only organized tranmen
benefited il will be because they are all organized.
Were they not. the unorganized would profit just
we'll
has been the of an labor legislation since
it was first begun. DO our factory inspection laws,
safety appliance laws vorkngmens compensation acts.
ETC. all the promotions or at least compromises, of
organized labor. mitigate of organized
men alone? By no means. The unions. they are
called. put mp their money, conducted their
campaigns of agitation education, and then legs
lator. as only organized movement could conduct
them and success accruinE, the whole labor world
ganized and unorganized alike share in the benefits.
Unorganized labor should indeed be grateful rather
than critical Of its organized brothers II is their work
their efforts their erersy untedy asserted.
kept wages up this country the condition OF the
workinemen tolerable. comparison with Europe.
True there is school of socaued economistsin fact,
only partisans the James Eli Watson type.-who
would credit an the tariff, but intelligent work
luemen know better These better conditions are the
result Of tine eternal vigilance of worknsmen them
selves organized to look out for themselves and pre-
senUn- sufficient CT "a solid front make themselves
felt Protective tariffs never increased "a wages
cent until after he hod made his fight the unions
had made for him. TO compel that increase.
The unions have been unreasonable at times gone too
FAR perhaps and asked much. but on the average
The results have spelled better Justice than safe TO say
could have come from any other source. not
say that the unions have been always right and do
not say cha the employers have been al ways wrong
but tie Dr6eple OF unionism is right the only