The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-30
TALKS ON
REAL DEMOCRACY
TO men OF: BAR
Railroad Labor Counsel Capt.
Yates Lawyers with Inspiring
Talk on Industrial Freedom.
(Continued from page ~


the hands Of corporations today; the
entire steel industry, the entire pack
ing house industry, the industry of
prepared foods, the spinning and
weaving industry is more than IS per
cent corporate. the coal mining in
dustry is more than 80 per cent COR
porate, and so on down the line. We
have given to corporations the con-
troll of all Of our industrial pro-
cesses.
Nov, what is corporation? A
corporation is a grant made by the
government to a group Of men to
conduct industry. It is an artificial
being. We. the people of the United
States, have created more monstros-
tiles than the Deity ever thought Of
when he created the earth. We nave
created these great corporations that
employ hundreds Of thousands of
men, invisible creatures that cannot
be seen or touched, but are absorb
ing the wealth of the universe and
directing the energies of all man
kind.
Are Great instruments.
"Now, don't think that T am COM
planning Of the corporation. The COR
poration is the greatest instrument
for human efficiency that the mind
of man has ever produced. Through
the corporation we join the efforts
Of thousands of men and the capital
OF thousands Of shareholders under
single management to accomplish
single end. By this means we have
multiplied almost beyond belief the
productive capacity Of human labor,
but when we created these corpora
tons through acts Of government we
violated every one of the fundamental
principles Of civil government.
rs the steel company created sole
ly for the common good and not for
the profit Of class of men? No. it
is created for the profit of a class
OF men without any regard for the
common good. That is true of all
OF these great corporations. We have
conferred upon little group Of men,
the men who invest capital, the ex-
elusive right to control the corpora
ton, the exclusive title to their prop
erty' and the exclusive power of man
agement. They have the power un-
der government to fix wages with
out any regard whatsoever to the
value OF the service which the wage
Garner renders, and when they so fix
that wage that he is deprived of the
enjoyment of the gains which his in
uustry produces. they violate the third
principle OF government. They have
the power, under their government
grant, to fix prices without any re-
gard whatsoever to the value Of the
serVlce they render to the consumer.
Violates Principle.
mat violates that second princi-
pie which says they shall have no
other title to receive compensation
from the public than that which is
measured by the value OF the serv-
ice tney render to the public: and
as they violate those two PRINCIPLES
they do enjoy an act of government
W., Wnlch IS for their profit and gain.
Aliat IS not democracy, that is not
within the purpose Of this govern
ment' 1t is without the limitations
OF the bill Of rights.
NOW what is meant by the COM
mon good? Government is institntad
lot Inc common good. What is the
oOnimoh good? AS I said a. little
"hlle ago. we live TODAY bv render
ing service to others, we are NO.
oucers in the one industry in which
"o are employed, We are the con-
eulners OF the products of all indus-
Ines IN which we are not emploved
10 wages that we receive as nro-
oucers are Immediately expended in
supporting other Industries whose
products we consume.
IL as an auditor on the rail-
soao succeed in earning $500 a. wear
1or my service. immediately tnrn
around and contribute that money, -,
mule driblets to all the other indus
elles mat supply me with my nee
si'ies. am consumer of the serv-
ICES OF other men exactly to tho
Va4ue which I receive for the se-v-
1oes render to the other man.
No Division.
we nave heretofore tried to 7ivida
society into two classes: consumers
ana producers. You cannot do =
livery man lives in that dual re]a-
'1on TO society. He is a producer in
enc industry and consumer in all
others, and he is just as much inter-
ee'eo as a consumer in life as he IA
az producer. That means that no
Is just as much interested in nrjces
as ne is in wages. But in these dual
relations our interest in industry is
vastly different.
AS a consumer I have two in.
seiests: always want to buy NV
goods as cheaply as I can and Of rs
nlsh quality as can get. That means
.Aat as a consumer I have a riph+
70 Do protected in these interests T
nave a right to be charged no more
~ tne price Of the commodity which
L BUY than is sufficient to nav tho
actual cost of production, with = fair
reward for the efforts of the man
VINO produced what I am CONSUMING
and have right to get the highest
quality Of goods or service which tho
price paid can command. That is
lily right as a consumer.
flight As Producer.
what Is my right as a producar9
AS producer my right is statea in
tae Declaration of Independence and
Inc Dill OF rights-the right ia A.
10Y tho gain which my industry pro.
uoces AS producer I always want