New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-21
Duty of Organized Labor in War lime
A Contrast Between the Vews of TwO Leaders, one
English and One American
BY Walter Drew
Counsel of the National Erectors Association

difficulties remember that there IS something
higher than mere material gain
The following extracts are taken from
Mr.. O'Connell's address before the boiler
makers convention. as reported in The Boil
ermakers' Journal" for October. 1917:
"In our country we took advantage OF the
situation as we found it abroad. and before
war was declared by the United States we
saw to il that organized labor was gong 70
get proper recognition and that conditions OF
employment and standards OF living would
not be interfered with, would not be low
cred. Nothing can take place, moth
ING can be done, unless We are consulted
and practically give our consent to IT. :
and so you are meeting now, my friends
ard YOU will be expected before this con-
vention adjourns to make a declaration a:
TO what the position Of the Brotherhood Of
Boilermakers. Iron Ship Builders and Help
ers Of America is, so that the world nay
know. II ia not mere question Of being
behind President Wilson That is a sort OF
catchy expression, a catch phrase; sounds
nice. Tho question is, Are you behind your
self? II you are, you will say so before
YOU leave here.
Striking for Dollars
"You have the shipbuilding. and We are
not talking about getting penny an hour
;rcreas7 now. Now, we are striking
for dollars. We have forgot there is such
a thing on the market as penny any more.
Out on the Pacific Coast
Seattle. Portland San Francisco. all asking
for dollars, two dollars a DAY increase. three
dollars n day increase. It doesn't brighten
anybody any more. We are just
coming together and going to get dollars
now instead Of pennies.
"Now. I want you to get it in your heads
to talk about dollars, not pennies,
in YOUR organizations The opportunity
is presented for the first time in the his
tory OF the United States government, prac-
ticaly a union contract signed between the
government and the officers of the depart
ment and affiliated organizations, practically
recurring that the shipbuilders Of America
come to Washington and put their feet under
the .able with the labor leaders TO settle
thcir troubles. Uncle Sam is paying
the expenses of union committees to come
70 Washington and meet the employers Ism
that a pretty good union agreement? That
I is only the beginning
Nov. | hope the boilermakers m conven-
ton here will get in their minds that beau
tiful thought of more Place your officers
in a position TO 90 out and demand. and
then back them up. Give them your united
and undivided support. And in this Crisis
instead of our organization being wiped out
instead of our power being lessened, we
will come out after the war is over bigger
and greater and grander and better under
stood than we ever were before
To Mr.. Thomas being behind the govern
ment means genuine sacrifice, and to-day
union men are working side by side with
millions of non-union men and women in Eng
land. who were formerly barred from indus
Try BY union rules. To Mr.. OConnel being
behind the Pre- sident is mere "catch phrase
with "a nice sound" His sole message to
his followers is that now is the time for
( chem TO take their pound Of flesh" from
their struggling country.
How long will our government call suc1
mer into its councils or permit our INDUS
tries 10 be harred and hampercd by them
at this critical time? How long will l;
hermit them TO cloak their sinister activities
under the fiction of patriotic cooperation"
The rank and file Of our workers, union
or non-union, are as patriotic here as are
the unionists Of England. As between fol
lowing false leaders and remaining loyal Il
the government they would choose the lat
ter II the choice were offered. If the gov
errment wants the real cooperation OF ia
boro it could do no better than to seek ii
from, the workers themselves.