The Washington herald., 1919-07-01
HALF MILLION WORDS TELL
AMERICAN LABOR'S HISTORY
by WILLIAM c. ROBERTS

ny VI -
AN official history of the American
Federation of Labor" the most re-
markable labor book ever printed. is
on the presses and will be ready soon.
for distribution. 1t will contain $50
pages of 1000 words each. Every i'm
portant act of the trade union move
ment in the life Of the Federation is
recorded i'm the language of the reso-
lutions adopted and the speeches made
by the delegates TO conventions.
Each subject is carried through the
thirty-eight years since the Fed
Grafton was organized and appears
in the book in encyclopedia form
The historical Introduction points
cut the marvellous growth of the
trade union movement, its hopes
and aspirations.
The trade union movement is for
the benefit of not only its members
but for the betterment OF the stand
ard of living of all the people. This
is emphasized in the foreword, which
declares:
1.-The trade unions are the only or
ganizations on earth that have as
their true mission the betterment of
the economic condition of all the peo-
with even a suggestion of a plan for
human advancement that can take
the place of trade union activity"
The first principle of the labor move
ment is to gain higher wages and
a shorter workday. which are de-
clared to be 1.-The preliminary steps
toward great and accompanying i'm
provement in the condition of the
has nprSfGfantlV
demanded compulsory education and
the elimination of child labor. Every
that would benefit the home
has been supported. II not originat-
ed. in its ranks.
Throughout the entire work the
reader can feel the wonderful per-
sonality Of Samuel Gompers. For
more than half century he has made
the advancement Of humanity his sole
aim. Those who know him believe
that every atom of his brain and body
Is instilled with trade unionism: that
his one thought is for the cause he
so long has upheld. That this is true
can be best shown by quoting his
own idea of the movement:
Gompers Describes Movement.
This labor movement has laid hold
of the hearts of men and women. 1t
is a symbol of those things that are
best in life. 1t is a real living thing
which the toilers love and cherish.
And the soul OF the movement is the
hearts and lives OF those who have
built themselves into 1t by sacrifice
and TOLL
No one can read the book without
believing that trade union activity,
the economic power Of labor. is re-
sponsible for the present improved
condition of the masses OF our people.
Political labor parties have been
summed These who have sought to
divert the labor movement into
partisan labor party left nothing un-
done to accomplish their purpose. but
always failed. Gompers. with his
able followers. always defeated these
attempts to change the policy OF the
American labor movement to that
followed in England And during the
past few months the American poll
cies have proved to he right, as the
rank and file of British labor have
appropriated them and are winning
successes.
Politics Absorbed Energy.
In that country for many years a
political labor party has absorbed all
the energy OF the rank and file of
labor to the sacrifice Of their economic
advancement. Trade union activity
was suppressed. The entire strength
of the unions was used to place a few
labor leaders" in Parliament. After
they got there that was the end of
their activity in the interest of the
rank and file. The vorkingmen con-
tinued to toll long workdays for low
wages. They lived in plasterless
houses in congested districts. Their
lot continued to grow worse instead
Of better. In fact. this was empha-
sized by Robert Smillie, president of
the Federation OF Miners of Great
Britain. who. in an address 10 the
Rochester convention of the Fedora
ton in 1914. made this amazing con-
fession:
"It is not true that the workers in
Great Britain are securing anything
like a fair proportion Of the increased
wealth produced from year to year by
labor compared to our national re-
sources. The wages of labor is prac-
tically stationary and has been for
many years, but the wages of the land
lord class has gone up by leaps and
bounds every year"
Tricked by "IntelIecfuaIs.'
This created a sensation among the
600 delegates who had been urged by
certain intellectually" year after year
to go into partisan politics by FORM
ing a labor party after the plan of the
English movement smillie's confess
sion proved the value Of the American
labor policy and pointed out the fail
ure of the English. President Com
pers in reply called attention to the
great Improvement in the standard Of
living in this country, which, he
contended. was continually going
forward. This, he said, had been
secured through the activities OF
the trade unions, and added:
II say for myself that If were con-
vinced that the American labor union
Is impotent to be of service to my fel-
lows would quit it and abandon the
Organization to its justifiabie fate"
And now over in England they are
following the policy Of the American
labor movement by casting aside the
labor politicians and using their eco
nomic power TO gain concessions. The
campaign has grown so powerful that
the Queen has accepted the presidency
Of a citizens assoc alton that will ad-
vocate better housin@ for The work-
ing people Arthur Henderso RAM
n