The Gem worker and the Idaho labor herald. (Boise, Idaho) 1914-1917, 1916-11-16
AIMS and IDEALS
OF LABOR UNIONS
Worker Wants Larger Share Of
Wealth He Produces.
FORCES HE MUST FIGHT

To Secure His Rights the Worklnaman
Must AntasOnixs EmPioysrs' SELF
Interest and Control immigration.
Child Labor Must Be Crushed and
Employment Of Women safssuardsd.
The labor union not only emphasizes
higher money wages for the working
classes, but 1t seeks also to secure for
them better homes (not merely better
houses), lower prices for the commodi-
ties they consume las through co-opera-
tive establishments and by opposition
to company" stores), more opportuni
ties for their children In the school
houses, better clothes and food for
their wives and children, greater safe
guards against injury and death in
hazardous employments, insurance and
relief benefits, fewer hours OF work
and innumerable other rights" which
they do not now enjoy and which viii
ever be denied to them II they them
selves do not control, through the labor
union, the forces which are constantly
at work to bring about low wages and
adverse conditions Of employment,
writes Frank Julian Warne In the
Philadelphia Ledger.
All these and other objects Of the
labor union have to do with the work
Ingman more as man than as a pro
Queer Of labor-as q social animal rath-
er than a labor producing machine.
To secure these and like rights to
! ~ f~Ha aak
direct its efforts and strength against
all those Industrial and social forces
which prevent and oppose their acQui
sition and retention.
II must antagonize the cupidity and
self interest Of particular employers:
It must break down without pity and
without mercy to individuals those
barriers Of class prejudice and distinc-
ton which would reserve the pursuit
Of happiness to a small number; it
must effectively control immigration as
1t enters our great industries because
Of its tendency to lower the standard
Of living Of American workingmen; 1t
must oppose the too rapid introduction
Of machinery, which temporarily and
In particular occupations tends to re-
duce wages; it must crush out child
labor for all time; 1t must guard
carefully the employment Of women:
1t must regulate apprenticeship and
through innumerable other channels
the labor union must control and d.
rect great economic and social forces
II 1t is to save its members from In
dustrial servitude second only in deg
radiation to actual slavery.
In substance labor unionism declares
that the welfare Of the wage Garner
does not necessarily involve the over
throw but merely the modification Of
our present capitalistic system OF the
production and distribution Of wealth
This 1t would bring about largely
through collective bargaining - by
means Of joint conferences between
representatives Of employers and en-
ployees for determining wages and
conditions OF employment. Out Of
these conferences comes the trade
agreement. This trade agreement Is
the labor unionists' reply to socialism.
Today, through the labor union, de-
mocracy is attacking the industrial
state; Is demanding that the produc-
ton and distribution OF wealth shall
also be based on the principle OF the
common good. This Is what is meant
by the square DEAL" by opposition to
special privileges for the tew," by
conservation Of our natural re-
sources" by the adoption 10 national
legislation OF the income and inner
ltance taxes and by the score and
more campaign cries now ringing In
the ears Of the people.
They are coming to demand that the
control Of the production and distribu-
tion Of wealth shall be made to con-
form more justly with the require
ments Of our democratic institutions.
This should mean a fair wage to the
worker, a fair price to the consumer
and a fair interest or dividend return
to the capitalist
In brief, as a nation we are being
forced forward by the labor movement
toward a wider distribution Of wealth
in order that larger number Of PEG
pie may enjoy the right to "life, lib
erty and the pursuit Of happiness.
He who has faith in the institutions
and In the intelligence and sense Of
justice Of the American people does
not doubt for q moment that this de.
I afs saaA a. A. 3. 81 aA