The daily Nome industrial worker., 1917-02-01

the same c5Ud 5ion.
 There never yet was an official ill position @a9 cared three continent a.s about enforcing a labor law, uu- less he had to secure labor votes to get his position. And even then his activities wiI be born about the time he is looking for office and will wi,har about the time he has been elected fer another term. His reputation as an official will rest upon entirely different matters to anything connected with labor. He feels no need for activity in this line, because he is acting against those interests which have occurred to him as very pleasant very peace full and satisfactory as well as in- fueatial. all the time
 With the eight hour day deter mined upon bv the workers, strong jy organized. eight hour day dect- slous could he oyer-ridden by not the richest and most powerful firm in Alaska.
 It certainly is reducing things | miserable ahsurdity when two by four outfit of strings and haywire, with a few pipes and a leaking boiler for machinery and a bunch ot gall in their eizzard for capital can pose as operators and break the eight hour law with absolute impu- nifty. Yet what else have been the 1 evasions that occurred in this camp since the enactment of this law un- l der partnership agreements, but that? 4 couple of men who couldn't earn a days pay themselves get together an outfit of scrap iron and stalling of the transfer man, haul out the supplies to some wild . cat and there proceed to sink hole with the help Of one per cent part uars who may never see even the ! three dollars a day for the ten hours they work. This sort of thing has ! been going on since the law was en- acted and still is.
 So it is whether We take an Adam son law which the railroads can defy i or an Alaska labor law which local 1 twO-bv-fours can successfully evaGe, 1 legislation as a means of enforcing i labor demands is about the weakest ] link in the industrial chain to which the labor movement can anchor. ! Workers cannot depend upon em- pioyers to obey a labor law or off cials to enforce a labor law. They can only depend upon themselves, ! first last and all the time.
 Every man who remains outside a | labor organization, in deed and in fact aids and abets the defeat of l labor and labor laws. He is acting in such a way that operators can ! evade with impunity such legisla- tion as may be passed and such de- mands of labor may see it's way to | i44NlNt tDOii+ III -A4st9iNb tliiH AN '4S 1 different from elsewhere and when such cases as those which occasion 1 this comment arise, the man outside ! labor organization can blame him. self. He can do nothing and in a much more mou&cing way and in q much more cowardly way. he will see that the rest can do nothing. . The indifference' of the workers to their own interest is primarily responsible for conditions as they are, for if the men who work for wages in this community would all of them unite and organize, neither officials would dare allow it nor would any operator venture to evade as they do evade the eight hour day law.
 We place this blame for condi. tions right where it belongs. The operators mentioned are operators and are looking after their interests as operators. the officials regard
 their. positions as due in no way
 shape, manner or form to labor and
 are unconcerned about the violation
 of labor laws, but the workers who
 are outside labor organization arc
 stealthily scabbing, are aiding the
 work of defeating labor's struggl,
 for the eight hur day and are nc
 matter how they may disguise tht
 fact, primarily responsible for ever!
 evil condition that anywhere exists