The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-05-11
NO ARISTOCRATS OF LABOR

Difference Between Successful Trade
Organizations and the Partial Fall
ures Is Mainly That of Finance.
Fault Finders Will Profit When They
Accept This Fact.
We often hear the statement that
some organizations are the aristocrats
Of the labor movement, the intent Of
thought that some groups of workmen
have the same attitude toward less
fortunate groups that the aristocrats
are supposed to hold for the mass of
the people. If the statement was made
that some groups of workmen enjoy
much better conditions than others,
that they are able to accomplish more
for themselves than some Of the other
groups, a fairer statement would be
made.
While 1t is true that the more highly
skilled workmen receive higher vages
than workmen with little skill, yet the
fact remains that number of very
highly skilled workmen receive com
paratively low wages. If those who
enjoy calling names with the object of
creating an unfavorable impression to-
ward some union or group of unions
would take a little time to study the
trade union movement they would dis
cover that every one OF these unions
which they call aristocrats began their
present organization confronted by the
same conditions and the problems
which faced all others; that in the be-
ginning their wages were governed by
the same influences and their hours Of
labor were as long as those of all other
workers; that the employers were just
as much opposed to their organizing as
they were In the other trades and In
dustries, but that the successful organ
iZations from their beginning continu-
ally endeayored to educate their mem
bers to agitate for improved conditions
and to establish the ways and means
by which discipline could be estab-
ished and through which a sound
financial system could be placed in
operation.
Unorganized or poorly organized
Workmen may sometimes sneer at the
more successful workers and call them
Gratis secured their higher wage rate,
shorter hours of labor and recognition
from their employers because they
were willing to be governed by sound,
businesslike methods In the transac-
tion of their organizations affairs
No one group OF the trade union
movement has any claim for aristoc-
racy Of mind, but some Of the groups
have used the minds which nature en-
dowed them with more effectively than
others. Instead Of sitting down, find
ing fault with the bosses and CRITICS
ing other workers who were more sue
cessful than they were, they have
spent their time in working out meth
DDS which would enable them 10 more
fully protect their interests, and they
have been willing to 90 down into
their pockets regularly every week and
pay sufficient amount of dues to
give them financially effective organi-
cations.
As a matter of fact, it is ridiculous
to talk about aristocrats in the trade
union movement. for there is no such
thing Some organizations composed
exclusively of laborers today receive
higher minimum wage rates than
workmen who have spent years to
learn their trade.
The differences which exist between
some organizations in the labor move
ment do not arise from any spirit of
aristocracy, but because some groups
OF workers are more willing to pay
their way than others.
1t will be found almost invariably
that those workmen who like to talk
about the al1stocrats in the trade
union movement are those who are un-
willing to pay high dues or to finance
their organizations so that they may
become ve.-International Mold.
ers' Journal.