The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-02-10
AWAKENING OF LABOR !
By JAMES ". MULLEN.

Down through the ages the men
and the women who have done the
worlds rough work, who have titled
IT,: soil, dug the precious metals from
the bosom of the earth. erected pal
aces and temples for the mighty and
the great. have found themselves con-
spired against, held in ignorance and
slavery in order that the few might
reap where they had not sown. Cen
fury after century this condition of
affairs maintained. in one form or an
other, with slight variations here and
there. but always effectually defraud-
ing the hewers Of wood and the draw
ers Of water of their proper proper
ton of the products Of their toll.
Slow as has been the process of
emancipation. gains have been made
as the years rolled by, until we. in
the twentieth century after the birth
of the lowly NaZarene, find ourselves
in a position more promising of bene-
fetal and lasting results than in any
other period of which history bears
record. Particularly is this true Of
the fortunate sons of toll Of the
United States of America.
twentieth century, is a young giant
conscious of its strength, sure of it's
rights, determined to demand thu cs-
tablishmen* Of justice in the indus
trial world. and able to determine lust
what constitutes the proper conduct
o. man to man.
True the waves of enlightenment
that have swept over the world have
not all settled upon the brow of La
Dor, and we are still cropping. to some
extent, in the dark, stumb and
falling, laundering and f1ounderlng.
rushing and wrecking, but always in
our striving making some progress to-
ward the aimed-for goal of justice,
ever facing fearlessly and tirelessly in
the direction of the brotherhood of
man. where fair dealing will not be a
matter obtained only through might.
but will be freely accorded because it
is right.
But the masters of pelf tell us we
are not always ruly and orderly in
our struggles to break the shackles
that bind us so unfairly to unremu-
| nerated toll: that we metimes strike
| out on unexpected tacks and steer
Improper courses IN the nope OF
reaching the port of our desires.
To some Of these charges we must,
of course. plead guilty. We are hu-
| man, inst as they are, and are prone
to make mistakes Just as do other
humans. but history bear witness
! that the struggles for enlightenment
the efforts for development. the de-
mands for justice have not been mis-
| takes, but are deep rooted in the
right and must- ultimately end in the
! establishment of a condition Of affairs
! in human society that will grant
| without fight. merited reward for ex-
! pended efforts to all alike, impartial
! ly and equitahly
When that happy day arrives, and
we are nearer to it now than ever he
! fore. the worker and the capitalist
will live in harmony and brotherhood
each conscious Of being justly treated
| and seeking nothing more. But until
this ITtopian dream has been actually
/ ushered in. Labor must continue to
struggle undisheartened by mistakes,
! undeterred by opposition. uninf1u-
enced by complaint and unswerved by
! fattery. Such is the record Of the
! past. Such must he the guide-post
of the future.
! Labor is awake. active, fearless, de-
! termined and uncomfortable after
years of constal struggle in the bat
| tie for Justice