Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1943-04-02

countless thousands mourn" De-
pite the fact our colonies were
founded by those seeking relief
from intolerable conditions in the
Old World, they began repeating
the abuses Of slavery and serfdom
in the New World from which they
had fled. The gains in freedom of
person and labor slowly won in
Europe but were lost or suspend
ed in the New World where intol-
erance and oppression gained
domination and the battle for per-
sonal freedom had to be fought
all over again. That spirit to fight
for personal freedom is deeply inn
bedded in the minds and hearts of
the American worker. They have
constantly and consistently fought
for more freedom.
The freedom of religion was
firmly established by Roger Will
liams in 1886. When banished from
the Plymouth colony by the forces
of religious intolerance in 1886, he
and a few faithful followers won
dered into the wilderness until
they came to spring of excellent
water on some rising ground from
the river. Here they determined to
stay and build homes for them
selves. Out of gratitude to Goods
merciful Providence to him in his
distress" Roger Williams gave to
the place the appropriate name of
Providence. Other settlements fol-
lowed and in 1914 Williams went to
England and got charter which
united these settlements in the
gave them full power to rule
Providence of Rhode Island, and
themselves. Altho full religious
freedom was firmly established
from the beginning the freedom
of representation in government
was denied to all but those who
owned real estate or their eldest
sons. 1t was not until long after
the Revolutionary war that this
freedom of representation was fl
nally won and then only after a
threat of an armed rebellion.
The history of all our colonies
was about the same. Where one
freedom was granted other free
doms were denied. The freedom Of
representation and the right to
vote was just one continual fight.
Of the 100000 people shown by
the 1870 census only about 120,-
600 had the right to vote. Laws
were not made by nor for the
working people. The masses Of un-
skilled laborers, the men who dug
bitches, carried loads or in harvest
time helped the farmer and the
planter gather in his harvest, had
no vote. Wages were low not
withstanding the fact free labor
was scarce, Massachusetts colony
forbade by law that any skilled
craftsman should receive more
than two shillings per day. Provi-
sions were made for the punish
ment of anyone who violated the
law, and idleness was made pun
ishable as well. Employers were
exempted from penalty but work.
men were not. At the time of the
Revolution two dollars week was
about the average pay.
When the workers were first
released from the bondage of serf-
dom their first fight was for an
existence" wage. From there they
went to Giving" wage and then
to Saving" wage. When labor
had reached this saving" wage we
were thrown into a world wide war,
a war to decide if we are to con-
tinue upward with our fight for
more of this worlds riches and |
blessing or to return to the slavery
of the Dark ages. Labor with that
spirit of freedom and independence
of our fore fathers, is fighting,
working and giving one hundred
per cent to win. When that victory
is won, and we have pledged
everything to win, labor will con-
tinue to fight for a successful
peace, Having taken major part
in that victory labor will be in a
position to demand, not an ex-
istence wage, not living" wage,
not a Saving" wage, but a "shar-
ing" wage. Labor as other people.
To win we must each and all
do our part on the battle field, in
the factory and at the polling
booth on election days to elect the
right representative in the differ
ent offices to help us get this sue
cessful peace and our sharing"
wage.