Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-08-18

| about rights and say nothing ABOUT
responsibilities. have never been
able to point out to you the glarlng
defects in trades-unionism as they
are now applied.
This federation and the interna-
! tionals and the locals, and all that Is
connected with that unlonlsm lot
which we have fought, is now cursed
with politics. Because we are poiiti-
cal-because many of us ~ the OIL
flee we hold above the work we might
dove have accomplished Httle
where great things were demanded OF
us. You have based your program
too much upon high wages, snort
hours and the strike. You seldom
mention work. and so you have Great
ed in the public minC the figure or
a trades -unionst as a man VINO
comes to work late, leaves early, pays
great attention , doing no more than
he can avoid, and demands very hlgh
pay for his presence.
II have grown old in a long fight.
I have seen our organization rise
from weakness to great power, so
that we are able to tip the scales OF
essential production so as to weigh
out a full or a scant measure of pros
perity. But our membel ship is many
hundreds of thousands less than it
was two years ago, and every day we
lose strength. 1t is a sign of some
thing wrong somewhere. Let us for
get for a moment that we are lead
So III No, Il a.
we are citizens of a gre nation. and
do we not then see that unless we
serve our nation well we shall serve
our fellow workers i'll? We started
with noble purpose. and we have
expanded into network of officers
and organizers and business agents,
all of whom draw salaries and some
of whom, as everybody ..nows, collect
graft.
I'm many unions the rank and file
have no say. The wo. CT, the man
YOU are supposed to represent, whose
interests are supposed to be in your
keeping, is frequently only your igno-
rant tool to do with as YOU like.
1ou have created an autOCracy of
labor union officers which is so pow
Crful as to be wcllnigh uncomfortable
We know firm past experience that
industrial peace is dangerous to the
tenure of our Offices. That is why so
few of US favor wage agreements, I'M
less they also provide the closed shop,
and some system of check off
by which the union dues are de-
Quoted from the wages by the
employer and turned into your
treasury. All this fight talk
and the abuse Of the power which
has come to YOU has brought
the unions into dicrcputo. Today the
dishonest union is taking the place of
the dishonest employer Of yc~-crday,
or is making a deal with him to di-
vide the loot, as was done in the
building trades.
I'VE have as vet no constructive
program-we have only shibbolcths
and catchwOrds. You have brought
it about that many labor union has
all the forms of democracy and none
of its substance. The people arc I'D
up on strikes. If YOU do not stop this
loose talk about strikes Y will find
that public sentiment will legislate
tho strike out of existence.
II earnestly recommend to YOU that
il YOU desire to thrive and have the
respect of the community and of
yourselves YOU ought to abandon
your present attitude and shift to in
Sistoncc upon service. Wages arc
paid out Of production and ont of
nothing else. If YOU stino production
YOU promote poverty. If YOU will
transform your unions from their
present status of fighting bodies to
constructive associations for the bet
tcrmcnt Of work. then Your wages
will be double what they now arc, for
YOU Will not only produce more, but
YOU will produce more chcaply. You
viii get larger actual wages and your
wages will buy moro than now. And
ii You decide to put industry on
service basis YOU will have an over
whclming public opinion with YOU"
Isn't that sound doctrine? These
pasSa gCS are not taken in order from
the article. Many sentences here are
clipped and modified. But the argu-
mCnt OF the article Is faithfully repro
duCCd. The writer says much about
the false friends Of abor and the I'M
economic practices of which the UNI
ions arc guilty. And we cannot re-
frain from calling attention to the
fact that the emphasis upon service
as the ideal for labor to strive for
was emphasized in these columns Il
year ago. We then said: "Membcr-
ship in a labor union ought to be a
guarantee Of quality. the union label
ought to he a stamp in another than
the usual sense. 1t ought t. be a
pledge to the public Of ability, Ell
cheney, fidelity"
And Mr. Basset saws that whom
service becomes the vatchUord "the
union card Will he a diploma. A Ger
tification that tho holder is skilled, ,
diligcnt and intellieont; ard the en-
rloyer will look with suspicion upon
any applicant who has not this en-
blem Of competence and integrity"