The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1916-01-21

less friction in labOrS ranks, more
cohesiveness, than has marked the
movement in that city for years. The
labor movement of Tacoma has pulled
through the industrial depression of
the past year in much better shape
than was imagined could be done,
due directly, l am convinced, to the
"all together" spirit engendered
through the Labor Forward campaign.
! would earnestly recommend that
other cities plan and carry forward
such a movement during the coming
year and they may rest assured of
the active support of this Federation.
PROTEST ACTION OF CHICAGO
SCHOOL BOARD
Your president mailed letter of
protest to the Chicago school board
against it's denial of the right of
school teachers of that city to or
ganize and affiliate with the labor
movement. AS a class the teachers
in our public schools serve with sin
gular devotion and high sense of
duty. Theirs is a great responsible
ity. To them for the greater part of
| each day is entrusted the child life
of the nation in its most impression
able years. Next to its parents the
school child looks upon its school
! l. 20 tUh
knows everything" The responsible
| ity of teaching the duties of future
citizenship to these embryonic citi.
zens is onerous enough without the
added worries of an inadequate wage.
Their right to organize ought to be
universally recognized and they who
deny that right must have their feet
firmly planted in the fourteenth cen
fury.
AS the forces of reaction have in
large degree muzzled the press, SC
they are attempting to do with our
educational institutions. Witness the
efforts in Pennsylvania, Utah, and in
our own State of Washington to pun
sh university professors who dared
to teach a brand of economics that
did not happen to be in accord with
the views of corporations and theil
servants, the reactionary politicians
ECONOMICS AND THE SCHOOLS
Ninety-nine out of every hundred
school pupils must take their places
in the ranks of wage-earners. To pre-
pare them mentally and PHYSICAL!
p that they may be the highest type O
productive citizens is essentially the
function of our school system. This
9 is recognized in the rapid growth o
+ vocational training and yocationa
e guidance throughout the nation. l
4 collective bargaining be the bes
- method of securing for labor the re
] wards to which labor is entitled, sure
] " the child who must eventually en-
ter some vocation or other that il
productive in character, ought t.
3 learn the essentials of collective bar
gaining That involves a knowledge
of the history of trades unionism, it!
! relation to industry in all ages anC
among all races. Just as | would
wish my child to know the history o
steel. it's relation to civilization as i
developed in Importance as a build
ing material. so | should want him t.
, know something of the human ele
, ment with which this basic materia
IS interviewer. Trade unionism has
. been too important factor to be-
longer ignored in the schools bu
, should be frankly studied and dis
cussed, with a view to learning boil
, its strength and it's weakness. There
F is no need to be afraid of facts. Ig
, norance of a subject which plays Sc
large a part in the history of every
country where industrial pursuits
have been at all developed, is fal
worse than knowledge of any defects
in industrial organization. Only
through knowledge can defects be
remedied or sound principles applied
A study of trade unionsm ought tC
be a part of the curriculum of every
high school and university.
Neither should there be anything
to fear from the study of the science
Of government and the structure and
philosophers of political parties. The
fundamental principles upon which
political parties base their existence
and their theories of government,
f. their political structure, ought to be
thoroughly understood and the stu
dent mind left to draw its own con
illusions. The science of government
plays an important part in the life
] ID Cit W. ms \