The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-01-22
PROPERTY TITLE
GIVES N0RICHT
TO MASTER: men
LABOR EDITOR DISCUSSES IN.
DUS1RlAL RELATIONS BEFORE
! SOCIETY Of EEn!.G!NEERS,
Continued from Page One.


problems that effect us.
"The owners Of industry fail to rec
bgnize their obligation to a public
that gives them license to exploit it's
wealth when they arbitrarily close
their works for the sole purpose of
curtailing production to prevent a
decline in prices.
'They disregard the fundamental
truth when they suppose that because
they enjoy title to property it grants
them the right Of mastery over the
workers in the industry, giving them
no voice as to wages, the length Of the
workday, conditions of employment
or working rules. Their property title
is a. trusteeship. with all the duties
and obligations Of such. It is g. form
of special privilege. Persons are only
secure in that privilege so long as
the people consent to it. Should the
people become conscious Of their
rights and power that would be the
end Of privilege wrongfully used.
Property Rights Secure.
Il am not attacking private prop
erty or the right Of persons to hold
such. I defend it. I believe it to be
our chief security against revolution
and destruction. I am merely at
tempting to point out that a. title from
government to hold and use land and
other natural wealth conveys with it
no right of dominion over man. but
an obligation to treat all fairly.
There is no property right in labor
Every question affecting the worker
as such relates to his personal rights,
which, although like property rights,
are guaranteed by our constitution,
are different in that they are Of divine
origin. There is no special privilege
In human liberty. It is the heritage
Of all. It is a gift of God.
''The tendency of government, in
legislatures and courts, is and has
been to jealousy safeguard the rights
of property and to abridge in many
instances the rights of persons. We
have an instance in Kansas where the
workers may be kept in a state Of in
voluntary servitude until a judicial
or more persons to quit their work
for any reason. Such a law is advo-
Gated in Minnesota interest in
lIleIlOly 10 ldOOr.
Obligations of Labor.
Labor has its obligations to society
no less than that Of capital, but. the
workers cannot be expected to feel
their responsibility unless and until
they are granted the same freedom
as is enjoyed by their employers.
When there was absolutism in govern
ment no subject of a king felt any
responsibility in it. He had no voice
in the government. He was welcome
to serve. most often he was forced to
DO so, but he was denied the .privi-
lege Of participating in it's affairs.
when governments became free
and subjects became citizens they i'm
mediately recognized and accepted
the responsibility Of such. Given a
voice in the affairs of government,
heart-interest increased, loyalty de-
veloped as if by magic, service threw
off it's yoke and patriotism needed no
outward force to prompt it.. Under
the inspiration Of the spirit of free
dom men have the faculty Of feeling
and assuming responsibility.
What is true Of government is also
true Of industry. A living wage, the
shorter workday, healthful conditions
welfare plans and other such benevo-
lent features will fail so long as q
form of autocracy exists in industry
that makes all the rules and all the
regulations and bends everything in
. it's own favor. Material grants amount
to naught when the spirit is held in
subsection.
AS Old as History.
$50 after all the issue is as old as
history. It is the issue we fondly
dreamed was settled once and forever
by the American people when Corn
wallis surrendered to Washington al
Y~-ktoWn. 1t is autocracy versus de-
mocracy. AS the frs: struggle Of man
was for religious liberty, then for 20.
Htlcal freedom, SO the next step in the
evolution Of human progress is to.
ward industrial liberty. Master-made
law IN Industry or government STILES
and covers. Workers yield to it only
by compulsion, and that is serfdom.
Their interdependence would sup.
pose that labor and capital are part.
ners IN industry. Their interests may
not at all times be Identical, but they
are at least reciprocal. There can BIZ
no such thing as a Partnership with
one side organized to weaken and de-
stroy the other. Autocracy in a part
nersh1p is intolerable. Democracy in {
partnership spells peace, harmon,
and good will. Indeed democracy ant
partnership are synonymous terms.
las matter Of fact no real part
nership exists save in shops wher,
the principle of collective bargainins
1s recognized, and in which employer,
and employees have an equal voice II
determining the working rules ant
conditions to obtain therein. In othe,
shops the employers have the Who'll,
say about such. They have no respec
for the other side Of the supposed
partnership. Their concept of indi
v1dual rights for the workers is con
fined to the entry on the job. Beyond
this the individual has no rieht
within the job the employer is boun{
to respect.
democracy In industry would pro
duce an efficient partnership. I
would accord to each partner eoua
rights without affecting the dutie
and responsibilities Of either. TIL,
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