The Gem worker and the Idaho labor herald. (Boise, Idaho) 1914-1917, 1916-09-28
PLUNDERBUND LICKED
Organized Labor Has Won Support Of Mayor
Of San Francisco

can think in terms of human right:
as we'll as in terms of property.
Labor thinks in terms of living
When union fixes wages at S. a day
it has not in mind so much the S.
as So worth of living; and when s.
will no longer maintain that standard
of living, the union feels that it is nc
longer getting its due.
"Of course, it is easy to argue
against this plan of a wage scale
but men do not live on technicalities
and cannot feed on words. You cannot
discuss labor or the price of labor in
the jargon of the law courts or the
exchange.
THE price of labor is something
entirely different from the price OF
barrels or of ships. The price of Ia
Dor is the welfare of the nation; the
price of labor is the pride of men, the
honor of women. the well-being oil
children; the price of labor is the
price of life, of liberty, of happiness
".These things man must under
stand if he is to deal fairly with labor
either as an employer, a citizen or a
public official. Labor has had along
hard fight for better conditions. II
has had TO fight every inch OF the
way. 1t has taken and given harc
blows in the effort.
"But every trench that labor has
won in this long struggle has beer
gained, not by voluntary concessions
from employers, but by organization
And organization has been the means
by which labor has gained all its vic
tories, the means by which it has es-
tablished shorter work day, better
wages, a higher standard Of living for
the whole working population.
DO the opponents of collective
bargaining realize the extent of their
purpose?
DO they realize that the abolition
of collective bargaining would mean
the breaking up of organized labor
Do they know that they are striking
the heart of the whole labor move
ment. and do they realize that organ
lied labor will fight with the resolu-
ton and desperation of men who are
fighting for their lives. for their fam
lilies. for all that organized labor has
so hardly won and holds so dear?
"Have not the adversaries of organ
lied labor sufficient Knowledge oil
history and human nature to tell them
that what capital and organized So
ciety have most to fear is not the
victories but the defeats of organ
lied labor?
1T is not an answer to the argu.
ments in favor of the organization oi
labor, to point out abuses tolerated
or injustices done, here and there, by
labor unions. No human institution
is perfect. But organized labor. as il
becomes more powerful, becomes al
the same time more far seeing anC
acquires greater sense of RESPONSE
bility.
What mistakes are made. wha
abuses exist. will be corrected in tim,
and from within the labor movement
Labor union and collective bar
gaining have come to stay. becaus,
they are a necessity to modern civ
ilization.
"In my own business I have fount
that organizations OF men in unions
has helped me just as much as it hai
helped the men. Organized labo
makes better conditions for labor an,
thereby more efficient and bette
work. I have found collective bar
gaining very satisfactory. 1t provide
responsible body with which I,
deal. It maintains control of tn
men by themselves which takes
great burden off the employer. N
union has ever broken contract wit
me.
Labor has become partner in tn
business of the world and must b
treated as a partner. Employers {
labor are fast learning that union
have come to stay
"Our city has changed and grow
in the same degree as the youth ha
into manhood, the brigantine to tn
ocean greyhound Our products al
exported to all parts of the worii
| Our industries are thriving in tt
driving of the rivets, in the constru'
| ton Of the ocean carriers and in ii
| Continued to page four)