The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1950-12-01
Labor's Contribution To
Democracy

dteu Sdudi. OuI SURFING I'll Has COME
from the united efforts of politicians,
businessmen, and working men. There
is strength in this, as in any other,
unity. With this strength, we have
met and solved our problems, cor
rected our mistakes, and established
a uniform, just system of govern
ment.
This same principle can be applied
to labor. The belief in the equality
of all men makes it necessary to es-
tablish just wage contracts and to
demand good working conditions. To
do this, labor has organized, again
gaining strength from unity. This
labor organization, or labor union,
IS the tool by which the employee
is able to exert influence upon the
more powerful employer. The unity
Of unions has enabled labor to meet
its challenges and solve its problems.
Today, more than ever, it is neces-
sary that labor be organized and that
its economic organization be power
full, all-inclusive, strong and alert.
Mechanical industry demands this,
for under this system, employers can
become all-powerful, and this is not
typical of democracy Without labor
unions, millions of workers would be
compelled to live below the standard
of decent existence. This would
lower the standard working conditions
and force men to accept inferior
standards of work. This state of af
fairs would unvoidably lead to the
decline of the American standard of
life.
When you consider how utterly de-
pendent people employed in the vari-
Gus industries are upon one another,
it is easy to understand why crippl-
ing strikes in main industries demand
? solution. Strikes are prevented by
laws, better economic understanding,
and deeper conception of human re-
lations. The plan or organized labor
works to achieve these aims and truly
instill democracy in the field of labor.
Three suggested means of avoid |
ing strikes are: % to concentrate |
power in industry, (2) to concentrate
power in labor, and (3) to concen- |
rate power in government However,
we know that the use of any of these
means would replace our democracy |
With socialism or totalitarianism. The |
'eal answer is the practice of justice
which will be administered to the
worker, the employer and the com
nunity. This justice is an essential
sim of labor unions.
However, not only benefits to the
workers. themselves, such as shorter
hours, better working conditions,
md higher pay are advocated by labor
lnions. They have furnished powerful
in the advancement of So
ial legislation that reaches farther
han their own back door. Stun clear
nee, better housing facilities, full
extensive health and hos
'ital measures, wage laws, outlawing
# child labor, and equal pay for work
lone by men and women are only
few of the dozens of beneficial
nd necessary plans and programs
nat reach beyond the scope Of individ-
al unions.
The larger trade unions have been
onstantly impeded by the ever-widen-
ng shadow of Communism. The gen. {
raj public is insure, as, in fact, are
ven the union officials, just what
ercentage of the union proposals {
re anti-Communist and what percent
ge are ro-Communist. Necessary {
are often avoided be-
ause of the fear that this proposal z
lay lead to socialist or totalitarian {
ate. These are obstacles to be met by {
rganized labor in it's struggle to {
nange capitalism from a state of t
)nflict to state of cooperation, I
nd yet this is the ultimate goal of
Mons I
The demands of labor today are c
Of new. They are merely demand a
IF a revived understanding of hui n
an dignity and racial relations. If L
man is just higher form of an ami t
al, than there is no reason why the n
ussian system of slave labor is n
rong. If might makes right" it is h
e privilege of the employer to die W
TO his conditions However we in %