Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1924-06-13
the truth is contrary to the charge.
The second is almost untrue.
Continued from Page y

Inc SecONu Is diAiluSJ uHbIuSs
Limits in Apprenticeship
Generally where there is a limita-
ton of the number of APPRENTICES, it
is for the purpose of restricting the
number so that industry may not be
over-burdened, and so that it may
be possible to give competent instruc-
ton to the APPRENTICES that are accept
ed. Manifestly, apprenticeship can
not be unlimited for it would be ridi-
culous to find at work more appren-
tices than journeymen.
"But to return to the main theme
advanced in Mr.. MacCulloch's letter.
I have read his communication care
fully, not once, but several times in
an effort to find out just why he
thinks his proposal is of such ire
mendous Importance and just why
Golfers, by its proposal to publish
the letter agreed with that estimate
of Importance.
1.-THE trade unions, comprising mill
lions of working people are to estab-
fish industrial training schools.
am not told how many ought to be
established, nor am l told what is to
be taught, beyond the simple state
ment that these schools are to teach
honest workmanship and good citi-
zenship. They are to impart a high
morality, together with skill of work
manship. am entirely in accord with
the desire for skill in workmanship,
and am entirely in accord with the
desire for the highest possible moral
tone among our people. A nation
which permits a decay of the moral
fiber of its people is on the road to
decadence. One of the sad and disap-
pointing phases of public life in
America today is the amazing abb
sence of what may be called public
morality OF the lack of integrity and
responsibility in affairs of our pub
lie life.
Demand for Schools Necessary
II am sure that there must be some
relation between the development of
industrial training schools and the de-
mand for such development. Even
if Mr.. MacCullOch's assurance was
fully justified, it must still remain an
open question whether the youth of
the land would flock to such schools
in an effort to be taught how to work
and be taught the value of a lofty
civic morality.
81 have no desire whatever to erect
any sort of mold into which may
be poured the youth of the land and
out of which the youth will be ex-
pected to emerge after a pre-deter-
mined pattern. My whole bent is to-
ward those conditions which permit
each individual the largest freedom
of voice in regard to all of life's de-
Citations and undertakings. l contend
for freedom of opportunity in every
direction, and, to my mind, the most
satisfactory condition obtains when
there is the widest diversity of OPP
portunity. 1t is true that I can not
approve the tendency of so many
young persons to fit themselves for
careers which may be described as
careers for exploitation, and l should
like to see a higher regard generally
for the productive occupations of
life which center around the work.
shops of the country. But as to this,
we can only argue and attempt to
teach.
FederatiOn's Educational Work
81 admire tremendously Mr.. Mac
Culloch's enthusiasm, and with no
desire whatever to diminish his en-
thusiasm to any degree, l write down
my inability to share his hopefulness.
l am profoundly hopeful, but my hope
does not center upon the working out
of a single formula or a single
scheme. 1t rests upon broader
grounds and, / am convinced, for that
reason upon surer grounds. l Won
der if Mr.. MacCulloch is at all famil-
lar with the educational work that
has been done and is being done by
the American Federation of Labor?
For years the American Fedora
ton of Labor has been engaged in
developing the philosophy of the re-
lations between workers and employ
ers and in the report of my associates
and myself, the Executive Council of
the A. F. of L., to our Portland con-
vention, October, 1923, we set forth
'Industry's Manifest Duty Without
attempting to discuss it here l pre-
fer to quote part of comment made
by former Senator Beveridge upon
that announcement in a recent maya
zine article as follows:
"'These short, clear paragraphs
are statesmanlike. They might have
been written either by jefferson or
Hamilton, by Madison or Marshall,
by Cleveland or Harrison-so funda-
mental are they and charged with
public wisdom
"In view of Mr.. McCulloch's evil
dent sincerity for knowledge of what
our federation is doing for education
! am wondering whether he has ever
taken pains to CLEAN what we have
here set forth.
Primarily, the labor movement
deals with the serious and arduous
tasks connected with the improvement
of the conditions of work, the wages
to perceived for services given and