Evening journal., 1920-11-05
Chapter XII
BY MARSHALL OLDS

nVAdlo III luoco ana ulBlltr prices.
But the great basic reason back OF
them-the greatest danger from them
is The fact that they represent an
und.sguis d attempt TO get control OF
the great basic industries which pro
duce the necessarles Of life of all the
american people and TO use that con-
troll to further not the interests of the
whole people but the interests OF in
divlduals and groups, or at most OF
one special class.
Throughout the country there were
about twice as many union members
in special industries affected by the
war from four 10 six times as many
union members at the end Of 1919 as
there had been in 1916. At the end
OF the war, labor leaders felt that
they controlled the coal industry and
had made big strides forward in many
OF the metal and the clothing indus
tries. Their plan at the end OF the
war was % SO shorten hours that
all The extra workers who had come
into the big war industries, especially
in The metal and clothing industries,
during the war and had Joined the
union, should be kept in their Jobs in
order that the new union strength
might be retained. They also planned
TO make as fast as was possible a
special effort TO extend their control
over The metal industries by getting
control OF the steel industry and to
get a more complete control in the
clothing industry.
AT the end OF the war, the program
In regard TO wages, as announced by
the highest officials on labOrs board
Of strategy. was that wages must be
kept at the high war level and not
cut.
The first big strike after the war
that in the General Electric Company
plants-was a test strike on this pro-
gram. 1t asked for no increase in
wages, but did ask for decreased
hours, so that tn extra workers who
had come into the industry during
the war could be maintained In their
jobs and in the unions.
But the General Electric strnFe was
failure-chiefly because tlfe big ma
jority OF the better workers, who
would be able TO keep their Jobs and
their wages on their merits were un-
willing TO risk their Jobs and lose
these wages for the sake OF keeping
in the union less efficient workmen
who could not keep their jobs on
their own merits.
Labor politicians, therefore, were
AIhlAh w NtN NiAANf III 0AhhA W AOAAN-
mand the following OF the big body
OF better class labOrers, which was
absolutely necessary to the success OF
their policies, they would have to Of
fer some special inducement to The
efficient workmen who could keep
their own jobs anyway-and OF course
there is no induCement so strong and
sure as more money.
Moreover. while the great majority
OF skilled workers, who are always
able to keep their Jobs and get good
pay on their merits, are generally
union members and firm believers in
unlonism as a constructive force In
industry. they have never been believ-
ers in the labor chauvinism OF the
German or Russian type that has been
responsible for so many OF our own
most costly strikes since the war.
The big body Of new and monde
script workers, on the other hand,
who came into the unions in such
numbers during the war and who
feared that the end OF the war meant
the end OF their war Jobs and high
war pay. became immediate converts
10 ali forms OF union radicallsm and
gave radical leaders OF all types a
weight OF following which made ID
possible for them to get control in
ihe union organ zat'ons in many OF
our greatest industries. In others Il
made them powerful enough TO force
the less radical leaders TO adopt rad
lcal programs 10 keep their power.
! The nrst big strike after the war
I 10 increase the power OF unionism In
big basic industry. in which union
leaders changed their policy OF merely
! trying TO keep the high war wages
fhnrn cfuaIapin rnoEOnc do
manded a big increase Of wages was
in the clothing strike.
In the clothing trades workers
wages had already gone up, because
OF the demand during the war from
perhaps. the lowest paid TO $50, 81,
and $50 a week While the work
on uniforms and war equipment was
/ of course. about 90 be discontinue
the discharge OF 100000 soldiers
each with a considerable bonus ir
cash. meant a big increase in demand
/ for ordinary clothing that was bounC
10 continue the demand and maintain
wages in the clothing industry.
But the great bulk Of workers II
! the clothing industry had never beer
skilled. II II could be organized
however. this very fact would put /
more completely under control Of ~
! NFNiAfINs anu NNAN hAAAAhNAN VI A'
workers. Of course, meant especial,
big sums in dues to increase furthe
tho power II its leaders.
Tho tremendous demand for cloth
Ing created by the discharge Of 1000,
/ OOO soldiers offered a remarkable op
poriuniiy which union leaders would
perhaps never have again 10 promis
Immense increases In wages n IN
workers would iOin the union, wifi
A practical certainty OF heing ahl
temporarily 10 make good on tha
promise because OF these special cir
cumstances.
In the beginning OF 1919 therefore
union organizers started an intensiv
campaign among those disorganized o
semi-OrganiZed workers, promisln
them II thev>Nould ioin the union On
union would get them twice even
their high war wages. With sucl
an incentive the union membershi
increased skiold.
As a result OF this clever strategy
another big basic industry is nov
under the domination OF men wh
seek only their own or their class IN
tcrcst. And a new source OF incom