Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-09-05
"A Labor Victory

Among the great riuphs Of the past year Of union
being cited by President Gopers Of the American Feder
Labor is the strike of the members of the Typo
graphical union for IA hour week at 48 hours for
printers
1t is rather stretch of imagination style this strike
victory it typical of the tendency of organized
labor to impose absurd conditions and restrictions make
for economic waste restrict production and increase costs
to the public.
The fortyfour hour week cannot be defended either
hygen or economic grounds not essential the work
health into ideness time that would other
be employed in useful production. 1t curais output
unnecessarily and benefits no
The fortfour hour week is labor profteerng just
indefensbe profiteerng the manufacturer the
merchant practices when he robs the public by unduy at
ing prices But the entire theory Of unonsm has been
perverted to proeerng, to constantly restricting poduc
ion shortening hours and increasing From the heavy
charged huge funds accumulated and strikes
then engineered give the leaders chance spend the
accumulated wealth in order to still further curta produc
ton and increase production costs.
Whether this behalf of the printers force the
A upon industry has been successful best be
judged by scanning the published report of International
President John MCFARLAND issued July 20th in the Typo
graphical journal for August 1t shows that the strike
which did effect newspaper Offices merely job plants
had cost $40 that strikes proceeding in 124
Cities and that the strike roll includes 6897 and
Wages increased from 900 900 in 1910 to SAL
9643S2 in 1921 and $128 8429452 in 1922 decrease of
$18,000,0000 13 percent in wages for the year
The union pocetbook has not been the only sufferer
cording to Secretary j. w. Hays who states that T. u
membership decreased from 74355 the 1921 to
68746 in 1922 the loss of 5000 being accounted for by
suspension expulsion of members during the year -Four
chartered during the fiscal year but 25
suspended and 40 surrendered their charters making the
decrease 81.
at takes than money to win strike" reflects
President Mcfarland in commenting the assessment of
$0500 carry strike that has established the
open shop firmly than because the unreasonable
union demands for peak wages curaed output in
time of widespread industrial depression aenated public
support from the strikers and without favorable public
opinion, nationwide strike can be
In this strike, in nearly all strikes the burden is borne
by the public in increased prices for products though of
it has also penaized the employer without really
benefng the printers 1t illustrates that labor when it
monopoly is just greedy and avarcous any
other trust and perpeuay seeks all the traffic will bear
The remedy these labor disturbances is closer
operation financially and otherwise between employers and
employees but such cooperation will destroy unonism by
removing its need is most bitterly fought by labor unions
their leaders who live by working the workers. ncul
eating class consciousness and teaching the workman that
the whose capital and enterprise creates opportunity
for him living, is his real enemy and that what
be done to hamper and impede and mpoverh the
employer S a victory for organized labor.