Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1922-08-31

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-sighted 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 a
rule, though, there are many excep-
tions, such policies are urged by those
comparatively new in the movement,
and who have paid little or no atten-
ticn 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-
erting themselves to keep in their own
hands the right to regulate affairs
which directly concern their lives.
Strange as it may seem, these same
persons are usually heard setting forth
their claims to democratic principles,
though their policies are utterly OPP
posed to true democracy and tend to-
ward Capitalization of the power TO
regulate human life. The democrat
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 system will
give the greatest satisfaction to the
people because it will have the infiu-
ence of constantly increasing their
ability to govern themselves and avoid
the necessity for leaning upon, the
philanthropic 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 at heart the best
interest of the workers. therefore, hes
itates to relinquish to any other agency
things which have to do with his ex-
istence as a 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 signif-
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
cialization of everything are a per-
sistent lot and though their policies
are turned down time after time, they
bob up serenery 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 an adj
mirable characteristic, it furnishes no
reason to anyone for yielding to wrong
policies, and it is to the credit Of the
labor movement that it rarely allows
itself to be piloted out of its true
course by ardent advocates of Utopian
dreams. The burnt child dr. :" the
fire, and the fingers Of the Ia owe
ment in it's early history YER often
received a blistering. 1t is, therefore,
cautious and must be shown before
it rushes into anything even though
the less experienced and thoughtless
in it's 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
it cannot afford to be governed in its
actions by 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 it. A
labor movement, guided by the take-a-
chance element would be of no service
to the toiling millions.-San Francisco