The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1916-06-09


workmen with very high standards of
Workmanship that way yet it is being
done in this country today in many
lines Of industry and American-made
goods are receiving a black eye in the
markets of Europe. WAR PROFITS. !
Make the big money today and after
us the deluge."
1t isn't too late yet for industry to
turn about on new tack in it's hui
man relationship. But it ought to
have been done long ago. Suppose
The millmen years ago, instead of be-
ing so all fired busy demanding our
forests, had intelligently gone at this
thing of establishing relations with
The employees that would have made
for permanent peace and mutual good
ing lumber products had been talked
over with the men from time to time
Timber products form a great staple
industry in every part of the world.
The evolution of that industry is in
Itself a tale as fascinating as any of
the Arabian Nights Suppose, step by
step, the transportation and market
ing process of this industry had been
made clear to the men by students of
these phases of transportation and
trade. What good would it have done?
Well, it would have given the men
new outlook upon life, new concep-
ton Of the relation of their own ap-
piled labor power to the well-being of
society, created new interest in their
work. Believe me, the intelligent CO.
| operation of the employee with his en-
! plOyer because the worker realizes
his value and feels that he is we'll
treated, is the biggest asset any en-
| ployer can have. If your workmen
trusted you, Mr.. Employer, if they
felt they were being given human
consideration by you and not thought
of as a necessary piece of machinery
hey would believe you when you said
You couldn't pay a certain wage.
All this would cost something. Sure
| it would, but the good will of your
men cannot be measured in dollars
and cents.
And again let me repeat Strikes
such as these are not brought about
! by paid agitators." The "agitators"
imply organize a feeling of discon-
tent that has been smoldering deep, but
/ lacked the power of expression. You
will have to look deeper than paid
Iagitating," go farther back than the
! day the strike was declared, to find
causes.
Don't try to dodge the issue by rails
! ing the cry of open shop" The men
don't organize simply because they
want q union. Their social needs can
be met in any other form of organiza-
ton, clubs, lodges, etc. The union ap-
Ipeals to them as the best plan yet
! devised for concerted action to obtain
the working and living conditions they
want. Show them something better
and prove it to them and the union
won't last five minutes Get the
! point? They join unions because ex-
Iperience has taught them the ad-
vantage Of organization. Until you
show them something better, or con-
vince them they are not needed,
they'll probably cling to them.
Society needs today some big
yisioned men in industry, who will
approach the labor problem with the
same intelligence and forethought
they apply to the financial end of the
business The business men of the
tomorrow, the men who must face
the keenest competition after the
European war in the markets of the
seen, will be the men who know how
to handle labor You can't handle
labor with bull pens and injunctions,
not in a thousand years.
And the Everett Commercial Club.
Well, two days after the Declaration
of independence was signed, over a
hundred years ago, the Chamber of
Commerce of New York City met and
solemnly passed resolutions condemn
ing that historic document Some
things never change through all the
ages and among them might be named
religious creeds," the practice Of
law" and the "pronounciamentoes OF
business mems associations"