The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1916-10-27


Means Opportunity For Rest and De-
veIopment-Great Power of Organ
ICED Labor Has Won Many Victories
BY SAMUEL GoMPERS.
Labor day, 1916. brings to the work
ers OF America the right to cheer and
confidence In the trade union move
ment. There have been tests and crises
ciples; there have been opportunities
that have tested its practical efficiency.
Through them all the trade union
movement has made sure progress and
gained In confident vision for the flu
ture.
Every national and international
union, every local union affiliated with
the American Federation of Labor has
made definite progress in securing for
its members greater advantages in
those things which are fundamental of
betterment in al relations of life. In
some organizations the success has
been phenomenal.
Taking the labor movement as a
whole, there has been greater progress
In securing the eight hour day or the
shorter work day than In any other
similar period of time. The meaning
of these victories can be interpreted
only la the light of full understanding
of the meaning of the eight hour day
The shorter work day is something
more than an economic demand 1t is
a demand for opportunity for rest, re
cuperation and development, things
which make life more than mechan-
ical drudgery.
The workers whose work periods are
short are essentially different from
those who are so worn by toll that
they nave neither energy nor mind for
other things in life. They become
more energetic, more cesourceful work
ers, with keener mentality and greater
producing power. 1t inevitably follows
that the short hour workers are the
best paid workers. With every reduc
tion in hours there is always a cor
responding increase IN wages. Wher-
ever demands for the shorter work
day and higher wages have been pre-
sented and urged by organized work
ers during the past year they have
met with success. These economic
gains have patent relation to the
social side Of life.
Shortening the period OF work length
ems the period for development and
for all OF rhe other activities that be-
long TO the normal individual IN
creases in wages give the workers the
means for taking advantage Of the
increased opportunities OF the shorter
work day The workers of short hours
and better wages become very differ
ent citizens from those who are so
exhausted by the daily grind that they
have neither the time nor the energy
for thought or aspiration These gains
mean better homes, better food better
clothing, time and opportunity for the
cultivation Of the best and the highest
that Is possible in the life OF man.
Power through economic organiZa-
tion means political power. There
must be an economic basis in order
TO give political activity reason for eX-
istence and a program. BY organizing
its economic power 70 secure political
protection and by adhering strictly to
a nonpartlsan political program the
American Federation Of Labor has
won glorious legislative victories.
The object of legislation which or
ganized labor has sought TO obtain Is
always to establish larger and better
opportunities for life and freedom. Or
ganiZed labor does not seek through
legislation to do things for the workers
that they can do for themselves. 1t
only seeks to establish for them oppor-
tunities This principle applies TO
workers in private industry. In the
case OF workers In governmental EN-
ployment where the government Is the
employer and conditions OF employ
ment can be fixed only by legislation.
then the organized labor movement
seeks to do something more than mere
ly establish opportunity 1t must Sc
cure legislation regulating conditions
OF employment
The record of the legislative achieve
ments Of the labor movement since
1906, when the nonpartisan political
party was inaugurated is one of splen-
did victories The two most important
are the seamen's act and the labor sec
tions of the Clayton antitrust law.
The greatest thing In both Of these
acts is the advancement Of human free
dom
The seamen's act brings freedom to
the workers. 1t makes American soil
sacred to freedom, country upon
which q bondman may not step with
out losing his legal fetters Freed and
given an opportunity TO protect them
selves, the seamen are pressing their
demands for higher wages and better
conditions Section 6 of the Clayton
antitrust act contains the most ad-
vanced concept of freedom. The labor
of human being Is not commodity
or article Of commerce"
In addition to these big achieve
ments many other important humani-
tartan laws have been enacted by con
gress increasing In number with every
session OF congress since the Fifty
ninth session.