The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1916-04-21
WAY TO BETTER THINGS.
Opens . Vista of New Opportunities to
Those Who Toll, With the Ultimate
Assurance Of the Attainment of
Rights and Justice - United Effort
Has Been Proved Effective.

Assurance or the attainment OF
Rights and Justice - United Effort
Has Been Proved Effective.
BY SAMUEL GOMPERS.
sees leading into tomorrow a road to
better things. It's a contagious some
thing. an Infectious spirit of courage
and inspiration that extends from the
toilers OF packing house towns to those
actors behind the footlights; from the
teachers In the public schools to the
plants; from employees and clerks In
the federal government to miners delv
ing far down in the depths of mines.
To highly skilled and to unskilled, to
those with high standards of living
and those with low, TO those of Amer
lean customs and ideals, to those yet
unfamiliar with the traditions and the
language OF our land, there comes the
vision thrilling with new opportunities,
with the assurance OF the attainment
of rights and justice.
This thing which brings hope to so
many, which points out the road to
better things, is that intangible, in
vincible, powerful, revolutionizing force
called organization.
Organization IS the way whereby the
toilers of all ages have found redress
from wrongs and have secured greater
opportunities. ORGANIZATION has been
tested and found effective.
There Is nothing about organization
that belongs to n particular group of
workers, to special kinds Of work or TO
any particular degree ef sill or kind
of preparation for work.
Workers of all callings must learn
that there are principles of human well
fare which are of paramount impor-
tance. Conditions of daily work and
living will not be in accord with these
principles OF human welfare unless
those workers primarily concerned
have some conception OF their inter
ests and are prepared for sustained
efforts TO realize their ideals.
Organization Is only an intelligent at
fundamental things Of life. 1t is pre-
paredness for the best development. to
take advantage of opportunities that
constantly arise, as well as prepared
ness against exploitation. narrowing
of life's horizon and a cramping of in
dividuality
The primary step Is 10 secure lei
1a. tal I,x.
increased wages that make leisure a
real avenue to better living and self
development and freedom necessary
for self respect.
Those who work for wages (even
wages termed salaries) have the same
kind of problems to solve, the same
kind Of opposition to overcome. Eco
nomic organization Is the only agency
that offers any practical effectiveness.
The problem of securing fairer, more
just relations between employees and
employers IS the same regardless of
the degree of skill or intellectual at
tainments necessary for that particular
work. Effectiveness in bargaining,
power to enforce demands, skill in or
ganizing economic power are the
means to secure just compensation and
improved conditions under which work
is done.
Many who hold themselves aloof from
contamination" with trade unions,
who hedge themselves about with
professional pride, work longer hours
and for less pay than do hodcarriers
and common laborers. Teachers and
government clerks need economic or
ganization just as badly as do the
most skilled and even the workers In
the steel plants and packing houses
There has been what appears to be a
concerted effort by the enemies OF the
trade union movement to create the
impression that the American Fedora
ton OF Labor seeks TO organize only
the so called skilled workers Quite
the reverse is true. Those whose work
requires high degree of skill or spe
cia1 preparation are sure sooner or lat
er to recognize the necessity and bene
fits of organization and to seek or
ganization on their own initiative. But
where less degree of skill is necessary
for work and where standards and
conditions are lower then the A. F. OF
L. does its hardest work to arouse 9
desire for organization and to cause
opportunities to inaugurate it, But
when the workers once grasp the pur
pose and possibilities Of organization
there has entered into their mentality
that which never leaves them anC
which changes their whole makeup.
The effectiveness of economic organ
ixation does not depend upon any
strategic advantage derived from su
peri0r skill, but upon skill In organiza
ton and in presenting demands.
Because of skill In organization com
mon laborers now receive higher wages
than many government clerks, railroad
engineers receive higher pay thar
many officials In petty banks.
There Is coming for all workers |
better life, a brighter day, through eco
nornic organization. for the mainte
nance OF principles OF human welfare
an organization which WHITES, de
mocrAtizes and makes beautiful tn,
world of work aud life.