The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1950-11-24
Labor's Contribution to
Democracy


about but very few people can take
serious action. People talk about con-
juring rain, snow, hail or nice wealth
er; but in the end they just have to
let Nature take its course. Everybody
talks about doing something about
labor; but few people are really in
terested enough, or have money and
influence enough, to really do any
thing.
Few people realize that, like the
weather, labor produces both good
and bad effects. | prefer to discuss
the good effects of labor on democ-
racy because / believe that in the
case of labor as in that of weather
there are so many more good effects
than bad. Hail may hurt crop, but
sunshine and rain both help it. So
too in labor; more of its achievements
are beneficial than detrimental.
The advances of labor are not as
rapid as some of the changes in the
weather are. Since the late 1700's
and early 1905 when the first labor
unions were organized, they have
contributed to and supported the
American ideals of freedom of speech,
equality of job opportunity and job
security, and fair government, which
together we call democracy" Democ-
racy has its storms-and, as there
are storms and Gains in the weather,
so, too, are there storms and Gains
in labor. The storms are the strikes
which have been carried on for years
by labor to secure more freedom and
fair treatment for workers.
Some of the benefits gained for
democracy through these storms are
the right to have and hold job
regardless of race, creed, color, or
equal voting rights, and
equal protection of civil rights. These
benefits contribute to democracy by
furthering our ideal of equality.
Unions not only strive for the ideals
of democracy within themselves and
for all men in the United States but
also. They insure decent
conditions, sufficient health
protection, adequate education and
old age security. They promote i'm
provement of schools and libraries
and facilitate slum clearance and low
cost housing projects. They support
Red Cross and Community Chest /
drives and even the European Re-
covery Program. All these advance
ments contribute to our democracy |
by raising the standard of living
everywhere.
Labor insures adequate pay, job
and job security, and
regular and decent working hours,
thereby insuring opportunities to en-
10Y hobbies and recreation. Since
1871 when shorter hours were first
sought, labor fought for regular and
decent hours until, in 1888, 40
hour week was established for in
lustries whose products enter inter-
tate commerce. Since then many
more such advances have been made.
These advances also further our ideal
# equality.
Organized labor promotes legisla-
ion to protect the economic and
ocial welfare of farm organizations,
businessmen, social work
rs, teachers and other people. By I
legislation, organized labor has pro-
noted stringent limitations on child
abor, and has abolished convict I
abor competition, Imprisonment for f
ebt, and home and factory sweat {
hops. These reforms support our l
1eals of fair government. {
The benefits gained by labor for 7
yard democracy. Organized labor has
bout 500 local and state union {
ouncils working together to advance i
nd support these benefits; but due c
D the fact that not all people are be- I
ind labor, it has accomplished all
nat it could. r
Gains in labor-those times when S
here are no strikes or Disputes t
&c Gains in weather, show that every t
hing is running smoothly and that @
lie benefits gained during the storms d
re being put in to operation and u
ade secure. +
Unions have reinforced a belief b