The Connecticut labor press., 1919-10-11
THE SPIRIT OF
 TRADE UNIONISM

The world has recently suffered from the greatest and most destructive war in history. That conflict was waged against an autOCratiC system that sought to subject every people on the earth to a military despotism. Had the Prussian plans for world conquest succeeded, the right of free peoples to live their lives and work out their own destiny would have been crushed. The triumph of mi1itarisn and autOCraCy would have wiped out all opportunity for freedom generally In all the world would have been left no room for the evolution of a peaceful, sane and constructive labor movement; for the trade union move ment car live and properly develop only among free, democratic peoples.
 Recognizing this, trade unionism threw its tremendous organized strength into the war to defeat political autoC- racy and make the world safe for he orderly growth of a higher and yet higher civilization
 Recognizing this, trade unionism un- hestiatingly repudiated the pro-German influences which sought to poison 1t with I. w. w. and anarchistic doctrines, and stood shoulder to shoulder with all those who fought for human freedom dId OppOI Illlllly u SlOW do WC DC1lCFC ' God intends mankind to grow.
 Out of that great conflict men from every station i'll life have emerged with some new concept of the solidarity of civilization, some new recognition of the human rights of each soul and some new $ision of the practical possibilities of the brotherhood of mankind when all autocracy and ni1itarisrn shall have been banis1ed from the world ard re- placed by democratic liberty and con- struCt1ve cooperation
 Out of that mighty struggle the trade unionist especially has emerged with some new enlightenment as to the great CT meaning of democracy, with new appreciation of his rightful place and responsibilities i'll the relations of in dustria1 life, and with new courage re- inforcing his determination that the principles upon which were won the victory of civilization i'll the field of politics shal! finally prevail as we'll i'll the field of industry.
 The trade union is not an advocate of socialism, but of democracy, says The Labor Review of Dayton, Ohio, There are many socialists who are union knows no political party. The
  tisan allegiance above his loyalty to the principles of trade unionisrn is to that degree not a trade unionist. He is working for political revolution and not industrial evolution. He is hoping to gain through political action some of the things that can be achieved only through the mutual understanding and cooperative effort of employers and employees.
 The trade union is the uncomprom- ising foe of anarchy, under whatever name 1t may present its doctrines of violence and destruction. It seeks to build up, not to tear down. In so far as any member of a trade union advo- Cates violence i'll the settlement of an industrial dispute, in so far that mem- Der has failed to understand the spirit of the trade union that permeatcs the labor movement of today-has failed to catch the vision that the world war for political democracy has unfolded for the peaceful guidance of mankind into industrial democracy.
 The trade union does not advocate a soviet form of government, nor any other measures to overthrow the pOliti- cal system of our country. In the great war for the safety of democratic gov ernmcnt i'll the world the trade unions amply proved their loyalty. What it does advocate is more de1nocracy-the progressive application of the principles of democracy to the relations of indus trial life.
 Trade un1onism does not desire strikes, and no progressive trade union will authorize strike until every other legitimate means of securing the just settlement of a dispute has failed. There are occasional unjustifable strikes, per haps Unfortunately there is ill some trade unions a proportion of the mem- bership (nearly always a small minor ity) composed of men who are gov