The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-11-13

ltS leaders ana tne drama OF WOu-
ern presentation.
But, in essence, 1t is an old, old
struggle. 1t represents the REIN
carnation Of q 50-year-old debate
that between advocates Of craft
and industrial unions. The issue is,
which method shall predominant.
A craft union Is an organization
Of workers banded together by
trades. This means that all car
penters are members Of the same
national body, for example, no
matter whether they build houses,
mend factories, timber certain
types of mines, or work on ships.
An Industrial union claims all
the laborers in one industry no
matter what their individual trades
may be. Thus, the United Mine
Workers, typifies this structure by
inclusion Of men who dig coal, load
coal, operate coal trains In mines,
electrify the pits, etc.
In 1885, when the federation
was organized from q five-year- old
conglomeration Of workers bodies,
the dominant group in the union
picture was the Knights Of Labor,
q powerful assembly Of a purely
vertical structure.
Equal Footing for All
The knights of Labor included
all kinds Of workers except bank
ers, lawyers and saloon keepers In
Its ranks. It believed in furthering
labor's aims through politics. It
did not attempt to meet special
lied demands Of skilled workers,
feeling that solidarity was best
represented by the protection Of
all on an equal footing.
Carefully Unanswered through
Its formative. stages by Samuel
Gompers, an English born cigar
maker, the federation took the
place In the sun that had belonged
TO the knights. Fifty years ago 1t
operated general strike In favor
OF the eight hour day, although
Terence v. Powderly, head Of the
Knights, refused to back 1t.
Many Of his members Joined the
walkout and thus broke the back
Of their own organization. In less
than two decades 1t withered and
died.
1t Is the opinion Of historians
that the country was not then
ready for powerful vertical unions.
Immigrant workers demanded the
benefits which would accrue to
them In this country which had
been billed as q land Of opportun-
ity for all. Each hoped some day
to be an employer himself - a
capitalist.
Skilled Crafts Dominate
The federation grew to contain
some industrial units. 1t has al
ways been dominated by the crafts
which are the most skilled. Juris-
diction became foremost issue.
Industrial unions tend to overlap
jurisdictional fields.
AS the machine age expanded,
the proportional number of skilled
workers declined. The pride In
craft, that had marked the medi-
eval guilds, disappeared as Jobs
became mechanical.
II Is these men whom Lewis de-
sires TO band together into all
inclusive unions. Their trades diff
fer much less In actually than
they did half century ago. While
there are still many skilled crafts,
their number is proportionately
much fewer.
The industrial union idea has
tended to become more and more
Of an issue during the past few
decades. It was represented by the
international Workers Of the
World who directed the Lawrence,
Mass, textile strike.
But the "wobblies" succumbed
to bitter attacks during the World
War. The A. r. of L. came out of
the battle victor but considered,
In the minds Of many, the enemy
of unskilled labor. It Is the con-
tention Of Lewis that this is still
the case.
Lewis Outlines Stand
The most recent revival Of the
movement is that led by the
G. /. o. 1t also apparently Is the
strongest. Lewis affirms that he,
does not desire supersede the
craft unions completely. He argues
that there is a place for both but
that his own concept Of method Is
not sufficiently recognized. He de-
clares that many Of the craft
structures, such as the Brother
hood of Carpenters, will break up
and split into industrial lines If
allowed the chance.
This epochal convention, there
fore, faces this issue. It can delay
q decision .and still try and make
peace without specifying terms.