The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-09-04

bers, 10000 active trade untonists.
| members who are faithful in paving
dues. There are, of course, workers
| who are trade unionists temporarily.
but who would cooperate if strikes
| were called, and the number of the
! last described variety is quite large.
OF this 100000 the American Fed
Grafton of Labor claims 4,07s,74O. It
is true, however, that large slices. Of
American industrial life are hardly
| touched by the trades union move
! ment. for example, the! autom obile
and rubber industries, while the tex
tile industries, although among the
longest established in this country,
are but lightly unionized: -: So.
Labor Party Not Popular.
Despite the large number of Or
ganized workers. the minority who
believe in a labor party was so small,
and it's fighting capacity as repre-
scented in the convention Of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor at Montreal
was so slender, and the possibility of
success so plainly at the; zero point,
that it was hardly thought worth
while to refer to the subject. Presi-
dent Gompers' political attitude Tor
nonpartisan political action was ap-
proved without. hesitation and adopted
without debate. ~
While Mr.: Gompers, as. a conserv-
ative labor leader, still stands with
tie president, he has experienced too
many conflicts with the members Of
the cabinet to be an enthusiastic sup
nnrtef nf fhn Cd mi MI 81,
It is plain that the great mass or
organized labor has no desire to form
a labor party, but tho American Fed
Grafton Of Labor does insist. upon the
mainte nance Of the inherent rights
o. the free-born American workm en-,
among them the unlimited right to
strike. Numbered among the state
ments the federation unanimously ap-
proved are to be found the follow
ing:
Workers F'ree Citizens. :
"Workers are free citizens, not
slaves They have the constitutional
right to cease working. The strike
Is a, protest against autocratic man.
asement TO penalize strikes or to
make them unlawful is to apply an
unwarrantable and destructive method
when a constructive one is axaila BILE.
+ To reduce the: necessity for ,strikes:
the cause should be found and re-
moved The government has g. greater
obligation in these matters than to
use its coercixe powers. legislation
which proposes to make strikes: UNI
lawful or to compel wage earners to
submit their -xrievancess or aspira=
tons to courts or to governmental
agencies is an invasion of the rights
Of wage-earners and when enforced
makes for industrial serfdona or slav-
cry, we hold that the government
should supply information, assistance
and counsel, but that it should not
attempt by the force Of it's own power
to stifle or to- destroy voluntary: re-
lations and policies o: mutually be-
tween employers" and employees"
Rights ofzPublfc Protected.
Mr. Chenery objects that while the
above sets forth labor's rights in the
matter, it is not equally clear as to
what constitutes the rights Of the
public. The attitude of organized
labor toward production, and also
toward the. consuming public, was
outlined in the adoption Of what were
termed "constructive demands" To
quote again: !, ~ = :
I'VE believe a presentation of the
trade union point OF view in relation
TO production should be placed be-
fore the nation in an authoritative
manner. and that constructive pro-
posals should be laid down.
Not Curtailing Production. " =
while it is true that there are no
great surplus stocks Of essential com:
modities in storage at the present
time, 1t Is not true that labor is cur.
failing production or that it stands
in a position Of opposition to Ca pacity
production. $ -
THE evidence in the possession OK
the trade union movement: is that
workers are today as willing to work
as ever, that they are as eager to
work as ever and that their productive
capacity Is as great, il not greater,
than ever.
There have been influences at
work since the ending Of tina. wxaEf
which Have operated to check BRO
uuCIAOII, UuL THESE Influences are I'm.
der tho control Of employers and, not
Of workers. - Il -.
adoption Of the principle of vol
untary effort. Of full co-operation1 in,
industry, will bring to the industrial
life Of the nation such an impetus
that production will cease forever to
be a problem in American life.
I'VE urge the setting up:&of con:
ference boards of organized. workers
and employers, thoroughly voluntary
in character and In thorough accord
with our trade union organizations,
as means Of promoting the :gdendoc.s:
racy of industry through Develop
nent Of cooperative effort. We point
out to employers the fact that in
dustry, which is the life bloed of our
civilization, cannot be made the play
thing or the pawn Of a few who by
chance today: hold control: We pro-.
pose 81 the neansa whereby. the: world:
may be fed and:=clothed and housed
and given happiness. We have serv-
ice to give, and If permitted to give
freely and on terms Of manhood and
equality, we will give in abundance.
Wa ranna% ia drivan. ~1avoz hot