Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-11-08
UNIONIZING THE PUBLIC
BY Frederic >. HaskIn

New York, Nov. s.-Among Euro
lpean institutions which cbuld be copied
with much profit IN this country IL the
Isritlsh Middle TIasaes Union, which
has recently come 20 exert q powerful
political influence n England. It's
purpose is 10 promote the interests 0f
the working man as the chamber Of
commerce promotes those Of business
The need for a similar organization
over here Is especially evident Just
now wnen the uation Ii threatened
with a railroad strike entailing wide
iaprend distress and chaos. n Il comes
to pasR, the greatest hardship viii fall.
not upon the rebcllious railroad work
ers nor upon the dIecontented rail-
road owners, but upon the complacen.
general public, which permits itself 10
be made the victim of Industrial mis-
management.
II is, the general public that will
lbe intolerably inconvenieuccd and
the general public that viii pay double
prices for scarce supplies. Hence. re-
Igartlegs Of whore its sympathy lies
liz a up to the general public to pro-
tect itself by preventing the strike
But this Il is powerless 70 do. For in
this country the general public is un-
Forganized and never lifts It's voice,
In England It is and il does. When
the British citizen feels that he is
Belng imposed upon he docs not re-
main passive and silent. he sets
forth to a meeting Of the Middle Class.
les Union, where he discusses the mat
ter with great dignity and then writes
his NJ r.
Sir" he reminds that gentleman
II voted for you al the last election
and helped TO give you your seat in
Parliament II is now time that yor
were showing your appreciation. W.
who put you where you are expect
you to stand up on the floor of fhs
House like a man and prove tha'
your constituents are unable 70 pal
increased income taxes, tram rates
telephone rates, telegraph rates. pos
tai rates. edncation rates. etc. Sryi
. increases we consider 20 be intoIer
, aDFa VIII you kindly give the mat
J ter your immediate attention? fSgn
ed--so-and-So, Member Of the Middl
Glasses Union)"
thEfH AfWttAfH
The NJ. P.'s eye is caught and helt
by that signature. He is well ac
Guainted with he Middle Classe
. Union. He remembers that ont Of 30
candidates put up by them at the poll
, at the last election almost a hundre'
won out. In view OF the Unions ex
treme youth cit is only a little owe
two years old that is a record suf
dcient to make any VI. r. mind hi
I, P's and Q's.
The great strength Of the Union {
its noh-politica1 character. Il refuse
10 affiliate itself with any politica
. party. but throws its votes Ito indi
viduals who have pledged to It thei
. support. At one time it huris it
whole force against organized labol
and the next time II is equally feroci
GUS toward organized capital.
describing the activities Of the Unior
Lord Askwith, its president. says:
The Union of the Middle Classe
takes no sides in any industrial quar-
: Irel. Its members are free to come {
!. any conclusion they choose. but tn
organization as a body is tntereste
in the welfare of the community as
whole. BY welfare we mean proper dis
tribution Of food. heat. light and cloth
ing. When these things are Threatened
then the members act as one to safe
guard themselves"
AS an Illustration Of how it works
the president relates how at Sheffiel
the workers in the power house whic
supplied the city with light. threater
ed to strike in sympathy with the mir
ers.. News Of the proposed walkou
was brought to the Sheffield branch Z
the Middle Classes Union a few hour
before ii was scheduled To occur. Th