Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1921-12-16
GET ACQUAINTED
MEETING WAS
A Big SUCCESS

labor hall was again taxed to ca
,se5fy Sunday, when business men
- EMPLOYERS accepted the invitation
= me Twin City Federation of La
sar to a "get-aequainted" meeting.
There is no doubt but that better
feeling will exist as the result of
ms meeting, more of which will be
held in the future.
The selections on the harp by Miss
Nareela Lawless were highly appre-
Dr Gordon S. Watkins gave an adj
.lrsss outlining the History and
Ideals of Organized Labor
At the close of DIR. Watkins ad
dress the chairman called on the fol-
lowing for five-minute talks: Rev.
" u. Roberts, +. Il. Gibson, James
Roland, Mayor Smith, A. 7. Walls, A.
1. Burrows, K. Nj. Storey and DIR.
K. +. Hieronymus.
DR.. Watkins, who spoke for labor,
gave very interesting and instruc-
i've address, using as his topic, His
tory and Ideals of Organized Labor.
II is regretted the complete text of
his address cannot be given here. Mr..
Watkins said, in part
Labor organizations are not the
vicious creations of any destructive
mind. but have come into existence as
the result OF industrial conditions to
safeguard the interests and promote
the welfare of the wage earning
lfass. The modern trade union is the
product OF the nineteenth century.
}Ihere were labor organizations be-
fore this, but they were not the same
as the unions of the present time. In
these early craft organizations the
master craftsman was employer, em-
ploye, and merchant all at the same
lime. He owned the tools witt, which
he worked, and sold his own product
on the open market. The relation of
masters and journeymen in later
years when production was carried on
IN the home of the master craftsman
was one of great friendliness. The
master and the workman understood
each others problems, knew each
others families, were familiar with
each others desires and ambitions. 1t
was easy to keep good will between
them.
In the middle of the eighteenth
century, however, our industrial or
ganization changed rapidly. The fac
tory system was. developed, and there
was sharp separatioR ct the work
ers from employers and the owner
ship of the tools of production. The
wage system came into existence, and
the interests of employers and wage
earners assumed a marked difference.
The employer in his desire to make
profits, was interested in lower wages,
longer hours, and undesirable condi-
tions of labor. The wage Garner
then, as now, was interested in a
satisfactory standard of wages,
hours and conditions of work.
To protect the workers interests
craft unions were organized. These
were local associations of workers IN
each trade functioning independently
of each other. Gradually, city asso-
Citations Of workers in each trade func-
tioning Independently of each other.
Gradually, city associations or feder-
ations of these independent craft
unions were formed to deal more
successfully with associations of en-
ployers and to promote the political
and legal interests of the workers.
These organizations of workers were
prosecuted for conspiracy, that is,
for combining to resist the oppression
Of unscrupulous employers. In union
they found power. Many reverses
and defeats came. Financial crises
and industrial depression often de-
Stroyed the workers organizations,
but they were revived. Beginning
with what is now the international
typographical Union in 1850, the
movement to bring together the locals
IN each trade into a strong national
trade union was begun. The Knights
OF Labor tried to amalgamate all la
Dor unions into one organization, be-
ginning about 1869. This organiza-
non took in employers, and was more
ldealistlc than practical. In 1881 we
nave the beginnings of the A. +. OF
L., which, since its reorganization In
1886, has been the dominant organ
zatlon of workers in America. Its
program is practical and conserva-
i've. Collective bargaining protect
ed by powerful federation of trade
unions is the basis of its organization
In making an individual bargaif
the worker is as helpless to protect
hilnSelt as is the individual employer
VINO bargains individually with the
powerful organization of workers
Collective bargaining, whether of EN-.
ployers or employees, is the product OF
industrial conditions. In opposing
me conservative functions of collec.
i've action as practiced by the unions
N the American Federation of Labor
me reactionary association Of EN-
Ployers are playing squarely into The
hiahas OF the revolutionary forces il
america. Communism, Socialism
ana Syndicalism all seek to make the
sraae union organization unsuccessful
II n order that the workers might com
oihe IN revolutionary industrial union!
20 destroy capitalism. Every defea-
.or she trade union is boost fol
sesolutonary industrial unionism.
9eeins TO me that industrial peace anC
paogress can come best through tn,
oo oo.SefVatiye practives of the Ameri
can Federation of Labor.