The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937, 1916-11-11

ton establishing free text books, and
one of the prime motives which has led
to extended trade union activities for
the prevention of child labor has been
the intention that the children OF the
poor should secure at least an element
airy education before facing the prob
lens of life.
But the trade unions go farther than
this in their efforts to educate their
members. Their literature includes the
discussion of civic problems, civic duties
and responsibilities. Their publica-
tions abound with articles dealing with
economics, sociology and industrial his
tory. Continual efforts are made to
teach every member those things con-
nected with self-government which are
essential to every citizen.
No group in the community has real
lied more kcenly that education is es-
sential to their welfare and that without
education their ideals are unattainable.
Trade unionists look upon education in
itr broadest sense as one OF the corner
stones upon which the structure OF trade
unionism is erected.
Education, then, in its truest and
brOadeSt sense, is one of the ideals of
| Labor and as an evidence that this is
so today, let me quote a few sentences
from the report OF the Committee on
Labor which was unanimously adopted
at the convention OF the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor held in San Francisco
last year.
"Education." the committee reported,
"is necessarily the foundation OF any re-
public. Education is necessary to the
perpetuity OF any republic; it is, there
fore, the essential duty OF this Republic
to guarantee every child an adequate
education. Everybody believes in edu-
cation. Differences arise not upon its
value. but upon the question of what a
true education should consist OF, who
should be educated, how far and by
what methods they should be educated,
and what persons should conduct such
education
we do for ourselves and whatever is
done for us by others, and for the ex-
press purpose OF bringing us nearer to
the perfection OF our nature. In its
largest conception, education should
comprehend even the indirect effects
produced on character and on the hu-
man faculties, by things by which the
direct purposes are different, by law. BY
y,
and by modes OF social economic and
civic life. Education should compre-
hend the culture which each generation
gives to those who are to be its success
sors, in order to best qualify them for at
least keeping up and, il possible, for
raising the Improvement OF mankind
which has been attained"
1t may appear to those who have not
] hpnpDth q tlnt ho Il,
union ideal is more and more, higher and
higher wages, shorter and shorter hours
of labor, more control in industry and
additional rules and regulations affecting
labor. 1t has even been held that the
wage-carner in securing an advance in
wages is in effect accomplishing what
the stockholder secures when dividends
are increased.
| But what we must understand il we
are to grasp the trade union ideals is
the trade unions viewpoint What is ii
| that the trade unionist aims to secure
through an advance in wages? What dc
shorter hours of labor mean to him
and why does he struggle so persistently
and courageously to secure both?
What are wages? What do they mean
to the wagc-carncr?
lhcy are not so many dollars and sc
many ccntS-they are the mans life
they are the factor which determines
what measure of decency, of comfort
and of opportunity the wagc-earner will
have in this life. The amount of these
wages determines whether the homo
shall be back room III a crowded tene
mcnt district or whether it will be
separate dwelling, surrounded by pur,
air and sunshine and conducive to heatl
and comfort.
These dollars and cents which come il
the weekly pay envelope determine tn
quality and the quantity of the fooc
which shall enter the home. They de
tcrmine the comforts and convenience
and opportunities which the wage
earner'S family can enjoy. They de
tcrminc the wage-carner's standard o
living. They determine whether his bod,
shall be nourishcd and vigorous o.
whether it shall be underfed and weak
/ ened.
These wages determine still more
they determine the physical, the mental
and the moral standards of the over
whelming majority in all of our indus
trial centerS.
If there is anything in the realm o
human activities which has been uncon
Il L..