National news. (Chicago, Ill.) 1915-19??, 1916-03-22
FOR UPLfT OF
ALL MANKIND
Trade unIoa Movement Not
Based Oh Selfish Motives.
BROAD IN ITS ACTIVITIES
OrpsniseA Labor Has Not Only I'm.
proved Working Conditions 81 lie
Own Membership. but Of All Whs
re;I-Whst II hss Done Fer the Ad-
ssnesmsWt 81 Education.

Vot-Whot " Neo Oone ' Or tno a.
ssnesws~t 81 Education.
In his speech st the laying OF the
cornerstone OF the American Fedora
ington Secretary Of Labor william Is
Wilson said In part:
A. | stand here beside this corner
stone where the hopes OF the trade un-
lon movement that 1t might have .
temple dedicated 10 human welfare are
about to lie realized my memory goes
back over the formative period Of the
trade union movement Of our country
and ! can see passing before II q host
Of men Ia various parts Of the country
and In divergent trades who are max
ing sacrifices In order that the great
masses may he benefited. Strewn along
the pathway Of that formative period
are the dead bodies of heroes OF the
labor movement who have been driven
adrift. who have Travelled from place
to place, ragged. hungry and worn.
preaching the gospel OF the brother
hood OF man. though eXiled from their
own homes by the merciless blacklist;
who have undergone all OF the hard
ships that II Il possible for men 10 I'M
dergo In their desire to promote the
welfare OF mankind And that picture
clearly demonstrates to me the falsity
Of the statement that the trade union
movement Il Il selfish movement.
There Is q great difference today In
the conditions under which the work,
ers toll In various trades from that
which existed = number Of Year, ago.
In most instances the hours Of labor
per day have been reduced. In many
instances the conditions surrounding
the work men relative to the protection
of their health. their life and tueir
limbs have been improved. In nearly
all Instances the wages. the actual
wages. have been increased
Those things have not been brought
about as a result OF the voluntary nc.
tion on the part Of employers. No mat
ter how generous the employers may
te. no matter how Kindly their dispo-
sitions. no matter how much they may
desire to be beneficial to their fellow
men. there has been q point beyond
which they could not 20 unless their
less generous competitor went with
them The power which has Influenced,
the power which has compelled the less
generous employer TO move forward.
has BEEN the collective action VI the
workmeu and In compelling them to
move forward the workers brought
beneficial conditions not only Ia those
who were members Of the trade union
movement. but tn all workers. whether
organized or unorganized. Hence the
allegations that the trnde union move
mrnt II a selfish movement IL without
a particle Of foundation In fact.
The question OF the wages. the qnes'
tion Of the hours Of labor. the question
Of sanitation and safety at the places
Of work. have not been the only qnes
iions upon which the trade union move
ment has expended Its activities. II
has been as broad In its activities
broad In its efforts. as human activity
itself. Our great public school system
extending from one end OF the country
to the other. by which the children OF
| all classes of our people are given m
opportunity Of at least an elementary
education. came into existence. outside
Of the New England states. as the di
rect result OF the energies Of the trade
union movement
The compulsory education OF chill
dren. protecting weak wage earners
against their own necessities. the fur
uishing Of textbooks. 50 that the child
OF the poor man might not he embar
rassed In the rchoolroom alongside ol
the children of those who are bettei
on the increasing of the age at which
the child may he placed Mt work II
gainful occupations are som,
md but n small part OF the results o'
the activities of the trade union move
ment They are mentioned merely ~
Indicative Of the lines along whicl
their energie~ ARE exerted And why
Because 81 far as the we'll 70 do arr
concerned 81 far a. those who are al
ready furnished with q large amoun
OF this worlds geods are concerned
they have becu In position 10 tax,
care of the sanitation Of their owl
homes. To provide for the education o
their own children, TO furnish the book
by which the children might be edu
Gated. TO keep their children out o
gsinful occupation. until they reacl
definite standards OF development, |
WAS only the children Of those who ar
struggling for an existence who wen
compelled 10y virtue OF their neccssiiie
| TO forego thuse advantages. The onl.
way IN which the workers could civ
TO their children the same Opportuni
tie. as those who are well In do wa
10y the collective action Of the state
hene. the activities Of the trade ur
Ion movement The children ~ all o
the waerwurkcrs. whether organizes
OF unorganized. have participated i
the benefits
This movement. then. Is going Tot
wanl as the result az the collective a