The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1922-11-17

less natural resources. 1t has ren,atn-
ed SO primarily because Of the trade
union movement.
For this, IL for no other service. the
trade-union movement of the United
States IL entitled to be ranked as one
Of the country's greatest assets. IL not.
indeed. as the greatest asset Of all.
The growth Of the trade-union me- We
ment has substantially paralleied the
growth OF the machine or factory sys-
tenn. With the coming Of steam and
the subsequent coming of electricity
and the use of these agencies Of power
in the development Of factory life. the
tendency Of industry was to concen-
trate populations In small areas and
the tendency Of employer swas to keep
these concentrated populations. 80 far
as possible. at a mere subsistence level
of wages.
But for the trade -unson movement
entering into modern industrial life,
combating the ever present tendency
of employers toward 4 mere subsist-
ence wage. combating their tendency
to retain the long employment day
that had obtained prior to the ievel.
opment Of factory life. America would
have had class as distinctly marked
apart from the rest Of society as any
European country.
The idea obtains to some extent that
trade unions are merely organizations
of aggression, that they are something
Of the nature of predatory bands form
ed to secure for their members such
temporary advantages as may be ros-
sible. mo matter what the cost to en-
ployers or to society. OF course, those
who out of shortsightedness oppose the
trade union movement, seek al ways to
spread this false impression.
The truth is that NO organization in
America is broader in it's outlook or
attempts to more intelligently under
stand the general needs of our society
or to fit in more constructively and
helpfuily.
An understanding OF the structure Of
the American Federation of SAILOR may
be helpful in leading to an under
standing of it's activities and it's poll
cies. The form of organization around
which the American labor movement
is built is exactly like the form Of or
ganization in the political life OF our
country. The American Federation of
Labor is constructed with it's founda-
ton on the ground and all powers pro-
from the top downward. The smallest
unit of organization is the local union.
Local unions are composed Of groups
of people working in the same trade.
in the same cmmunities. These local
unions are affiliated into what are
known as city central bodies or city
central labor unions. The city central
labor union is, thus. representative
organization composed Of delegates
from all the local unions In city. BY
the same process, state federaions of
tabor are formed. In most cities
there are. in addition to the city CEN
trail labor union. delegate bodies rep
resenting the unions in specific branch
es of industry such as the building
trades. the metal trades and the print
ing trades. Through these representa-
tive community organizations the wage
earners in each city are brought to-
gether and are placed in a position to
act unitedly and intelligently for the
conservation and advancement Of their
own interests and for the consideration
of problems of all kinds relating to
the life of the municipality.
In addition to these representative
community organizations. there are
national and international unions. Most
American unions have adopted the
term ''internationar' because their
membership extends into Canada and
Mexico. National and international
unions are formed by uniting all o.
the local unions in given trade.
Comparing the tradc-uaion move
ment with our political structure. the
national and international unions real
~ correspond to the departments Of
government. The American Federation
of Labor is. as its name implies fed.
eration-a federation OF unions cores.
ponding to the federation OF states. II
is an utilization of national and in.
iternational unions. IN IT'S annual con
MENTIONS. these national adj inn a a.
tional unions are entitled TO vote i,
proportion to the membership OF
which they pay per capita tax to tht
American Federation of Labor. In ad
dition. each city central body, eacl
state federation and each of the fiv,
departments of the American FEEDER
alton Of Labor-NIine, Metal Trades
Building Trades. Union Label Trade
and Railroad Employees Department
are entitled to one delegate.
Many persons think that the Amer
lean Federation of Labor is an Lrgan
ization Of great power. In a most I'm
portant sense this is true, but IN tn
sense in which it is understood b!
many of labors critics. it is withoa
. truth. The great power OF the Amer
lean Federation of Labor is the powe
of moral suasion. 1t is the united cpin
ion of four million organized wag
earners that has weight and power.
The American Federation of LaLo
has no power of comoulsion eithe
over it's own affil lated membership o
those outside it's membership. 1t i;
: believed by many that the America
Federation of Labor orders strikes
This is not the case. rhe America
Federation Of Labor cannot order eve
one person to cease work. The state
ment that the American Federation {
Labor has no power nf comDulsinn
absolute. There is no Qualificatio
i. whatever. 1t can say. through its cor
ventions. or through it's eXecutiS
council and its officers that certal
!. policies or certain courses Of condu
= are advisable, but oniy as there