The Organizer Who Warned That Immigration Was Being Used to Break Labor

It is not very often that the Harbor is honored by a visit from an international union representative, but such was the case the latter part of the week. Brother Lee Last, organizer for the Journeymen Barbers' International Union of America, spent a few days here looking after the interests of the barbers.

Brother Last has a very pleasing personality and made a host of friends in the short time spent here. His visit has had a fine effect on the local union of the organization he represents, instilling greater fraternity and a will to do more for their fellow men.

He addressed the Aberdeen Central Labor Council Friday evening. His address was very interesting and constructive, leaving a lasting impression with all who heard him. His topic was "Immigration, Americanization and the Union Label." In speaking of immigration he said:

"The large employers of labor are trying to break down the bars of the present immigration act; they are trying to flood the North American continent with the uneducated worker from Southern Europe. The reason is not that there exists a shortage of common labor, but by creating a great surplus of labor allows the employers to dictate hours, wages and conditions of labor without taking the well-being of labor under consideration. And by pitting one nationality against the other a way is also seen in which to keep labor unorganized and thereby helpless.

"Many large employers are not concerned with the Americanization of the immigrants. What they are seeking is cheap labor, less cost in production. During the great war the country was toured by many urging the people on to greater patriotism. Patriotism is the country's greatest asset, but not the kind of patriotism preached by these traveling apostles. While in the New England states I was one of five speakers to address the garment workers in the textile industry, and do you know I was the only one who spoke in the American language. A great many leaving without understanding a single word. Many of the garment workers had been in this country many years, and were the employers half as interested in Americanization of the foreigner as they pretend, the majority of the 1600 present would have been able to understand the American language and it would have been unnecessary to address them in their native tongue. You cannot make an American out of a foreigner by force. We must show him that it is to his advantage to do so. On this very point is where most mistakes are made in naturalization work. By working the foreigner 10 and 12 hours a day does not give him much time in which to educate himself or to study our form of government. In fact, he gets so little enjoyment out of life under these conditions that he is not interested and is not favorably impressed."

Brother Last also urged the members of organized labor to demand the union label, and said that at the Denver convention of the A. F. of L. it was estimated that only about 35 per cent did so, and predicted that if 70 per cent would demand the label, the membership of the federation would double in less than two years.