Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1922-09-01

There are always In the labor move
ment those who are anxious to gain
advantages through instrumentalities
other than the movement itself, but
who are short-slghted and do not look
far enough ahead to be able to see the
ultimate hurtful influences the adop-
ton Of the schemes they advocate
would have upon the workers. Every
thing except the one object aimed at
Is obscured from their vision. As q
rule, though, there are many excep-
lions, such policies are urged by those
comparatively new In the movement,
and who have paid little or no atten.
ton to the struggles the organized
workers have gone through In attain
Ing the influence and power at pres
ent welded. AS consequence of their
ignorance they are constantly trying
to give away the power to control
their own destinies rather than In ex-
ertfng themselves to keep In their own
hands the right to regulate affairs
which directly concern their lives.
Strange as 1t may seem, these same
persons are usually heard setting forth
their claims to democratic principles,
though their policies are utterly op-
posed to true democracy and tend to-
ward Capitalization Of the power TO
believes the Individual should be given
the very largest degree of freedom Of
action consistent with the interests of
society as a whole, and he believes
that In the long run such q system will
give the greatest satisfaction to the
people because 1t will have the influ-
ence Of constantly increasing their
ability to govern themselves and avoid
the necessity for leaning upon the
philanthroplc and benevolent members
of society; he wants to be allowed to
do things for himself instead of hav.
ing others do them for him. The trade
unionist who has ut heart the best
itates to relinquish to any other agency
whatever the right to regulate those
things which have to do with his ex-
lstence as worker, because whoever
governs his working conditions also
very largely controls his entire life.
He wants to be free. and the word
freedom to him has some real signifi-
canoe. 1t really means something be-
cause he has had experience of one
kind or another with having his lib
critics restricted. and fully appreciates
just what government by others means
to him.
However, the advocates Of the so
Civilization of everything are a per.
sistent lot and though their policies
are turned down time after time, they
bob up serenely every now and then
and insist as vehemently as ever upon
the majority giving their pet hobbies
an opportunity to operate. Though
persistence In an individual Is on adj
mirable characteristic, 1t furnishes no
reason to anyone for yielding to wrong
policies and IL Is to the credit of the
labor movement that 1t rarely allows
Itself to be plloted out of It's true
course by ardent advocates OF Ctoplan
dreams. The burnt child breads the
fire. and the fingers of the labor move
ment IN its early history very often
received blistering. 1t is, therefore.
cautious and must be shown before
1t PUSHES into anything, even though
the less experienced and thoughtless
In Its ranks are anxious to lead Off
into the fields of chance. The gambling
spirit does not dominate the labor
movement. Its every move is fraught
with veal or woe for the workers, and
II cannot afford to be governed in Its
(ections hy anything other than sound
reasoning, even though an occasional
wild plunge might lead to some sue
cess. Gambling Is failure, though
some Few persons do profit by 1t. A
labor movement, guided by the take-a.
chance element would be of no service
to the tolling mlllions.-San FranGssco
Labor Clarion.