The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-11-04
THE LABOR VOTE.

Earnest efforts. no doubt. are being
made by labor leaders the country
over to swing the labor vote to Mr.
Wilson because of his efforts in fore
ing the Adamson law thru congress
They make no secret of it. They adj
nit it. And it assuredly is their priv
ilege.
But the measure of their success is
likely to be exceedingly disappointing
unless the rank and file of labor have
made up their minds individually that
the action of Mr.. Wilson and congress
in conceiving this legislation is suf-
ficient boon to labor to be rewarded
with their votes at the polls.
They won't do so merely at the be-
hest of the labor leaders. They have
never done so before in any big po-
litical campaign in this country, either
state or national. The political his
tory of the nation is replete with the
failure of labor leaders to deliver the
labor vote. They have tried it time
and time again and have missed fire
as often. If there is one place where
the laboring man of this country has
always exercised the independence
that is rightly his and of which he is
particularly choice it is the voting
booth. And he is just as likely to re-
sent dictation from labor leaders as to
how he should mark his ballot as he
would if such dictation came from his
employer.
There was an instance of this as re-
weeks ago. Labor has had no keener
champion in congress for some time
than Representative McGillicuddy of
the Androsgoggin district in Maine.
He rose from the ranks of labor. And
the labor leaders of national reputa-
ton and influence, Samuel Gompers
and others, rushed to his support in
his recent campaign for reelection.
1t also happens that there is an I'M
usually large labor vote in this partic
ular congressional district in Maine.
But despite the active and vigorous
efforts of the labor leaders who cam
paigned in person in Mr.. McGill-
icuddy's district he went down to de-
feat.
And so, if the national leaders of
labor can not swing such a small DO
litical division as a congressional dis
trict as they would, one that is labor
center, and for a candidate who has
been in the ranks of labor and its
friend to the hilt in congress, it is,
indeed, idle to suggest that these same
labor leaders can deliver the labor
vote of the whole country in any con-
siderable portion to any particular
presidential candidate.
Undoubtedly, President Wilson. be-
cause of the Adamson law, will re-
ceive many votes from the members
of the railroad brotherhoods that 9TH
erwise would not have gone to him.
But it doesn't follow that the 80 per
cent of the railway employees who are
not to reap any advantages from this
law, provided there be any, will fol-
low in the voting train of the brother
hoods. 1t is also true that some of
the discerning members of the latter
are not so sure but the Adamson law
may be a gold brick or a boomerang.
One such, for instance, is Edward J.
Dwyet, formerly chief engineer of the
central division Of locomotive engi-
neers at Bayonne, N. ]. He suggests
that under this law it will be possible
for the railroads to pay by the day in
stead of by the mile thus reducing
the wages of trainmen, instead of rails
ing them.
Then, too, if the Adamson law is a
precedent by which the labor wage
troubles of the future are to be set
tied, and, of course, by congress and
legislatures, it is not one or a prin-
ciple that will appeal strongly either
to railroad employees or to labor in
general, once labor appreciates its full
import.
This is that it takes away from la
Dor the right to bargain with it's en-
ployers either as to wages or hours OF
work.
Public authority, thru congress OF
Legislatures, will fix wages and hours
of work. perhaps with the advice OF
labor and perhaps not, and from the
mandate of public authority labor will
have no appeal
The power that the strike gives la
Dor will be destroyed. And Iabo,
unions surely will soon have outlived
their usefulness. If they have nc
power to bargain collectively witt
their employers concerning hours Of
work and rates of pay, there will BIZ
no reason for them to exist.
! This is the real significance of the
! Adamson law. And it isn't at all like
Z ly that labor in general will take t.
such principle kindly. even if tn.
| labor leaders, or many of them. ar,
of mind that Mr.. Wilson should h,
rewarded with the labor vote becaus,
; he succeeded in having this law passed
/ for the supposed benefit of the mem