The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-09-11

I1les UeLteT COnuAlAOlS VI llVllS, safer
working conditions, shorter hours of
labor and increased efficiency have
been attained.
1.-THE statement has been often
made Of late that the American labor
movement represents only about 10
per cent Of our people. The American
Federation Of Labor and the railroad
brotherhoods have a total member
ship of 100000, which would ap-
,proximately mean 25,000,00O people,
or one-fourth Of our total population.
whose interests are represented by la
Dor Organizations.
"The American Federation of Labor
has been active in procuring legisla-
ton, both state and national, that has
been extremely beneficial to masses
Of our people, notably the esta blish-
ment of the free school system of our
country, child labor and working
mems compensation laws, employers
liability laws. which led to the install
lation of safety devices and from
which has developed the popular
safety first movement as a by-pro-
duct
'"The woman's Suffrage movement
has always had the support of our
labor organizations and we have al
ways realized that woman could not
obtain economic and social justice ex-
cept through the ballot
"Stateme nts have been made to tho
effect that our labor movement is a
trust. The trades union is not trust.
It is the voluntary association of the
few for the benefit for the whole COM
munity. While a trust is an associa-
ton of the few for their own benefit.
The trades unions are the business Or
CARNATIONS of the wage earners. They
attend to the various work of dealing
with labor difficulties. They contend
for the toilers' rights and against the
toilers' wrongs of today.
"The Anne erican labor movement
stands steadfastly TO" fundamental
Americanism. The men and women
who toll are the strong bulwarks of
the principles set forth in the Declar-
alton Of Independence and the Con-
stitution of the United States; they
conceive that they are and should be
the peculiar defenders of these prin-
ciples, as they are the large and Pc
culiar beneficiaries of them. They
hold as does no other class to the
ideals Of self-government, that all
governments derive their just power:
from the consent of the governed, ans
they prize beyond all material things
the fundamentals of trial by Jury
due process of law, free speech, free
press, freedom Of religious opinion
and the right of assemblage. The
American labor advancement stands
for justice for every man, every wo-
man, every child; it stands for the
right Of the people to unite. Unless
the people unite for the people, Amer
lea can no longer be America.
THE American labor movement
stands today as one Of the greatest
instrumentalities for spreading the
doctrine Of Americanism, to which the
foreign-born has access. When the
foreign-born ~reaches his America he
is not usually welcomed in our various
clubs, no welcoming hand is held out
to him by our secret societies. While
a limited number join these societies.
the vast majority usually join old
country organizations, where they
meet people of their own nationality
and do not learn American ideals.
1T is fortunate indeed that the for
eign born is welcomed by the Am meri-
can labor unions, for there he hears
the American language, he hears dis
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