The Forgotten Case for the Labor Union

There is no groundless prejudice against labor organizations in this country. It is supposed that their object is to extort by threats and violence what they cannot gain by peaceable means. Nothing can be farther from the truth. The riots, massacres, and incendiaries connected with strikes are not due to true organization, but the lack of it. The great damage to society in the struggles of today is in keeping the working classes in a disorganized state. Organization means knowledge, improvement, enlightened views of the rights of labor, judicious demands, and well-timed, concerted, but always peaceable action. The settlement of the conflicts between labor and capital will not be attained by the repudiation of labor unions, but by raising them to a higher level. The great difficulty is in making organizations of ignorant, badly managed, often desperate and hungry workmen sufficiently extensive and perfect to protect their interests. Political economists, like Henry Fawcett, Longe, Massey, W. T. Thornton, Francis A. Walker, and many more, all admit that labor unions have greatly increased wages. Without unionism, employers would be able to dictate as of old; with it, workingmen would have that preparation for war which is the best guarantee of peace. When thousands of workmen are oppressed to the lowest point of endurance by wealthy corporations, Christian men are not at liberty to ignore this question. The monopolists who have grown rich by grinding the faces of the poor are the least hopeful subjects for conversion. This is the explanation of the widening breach between the church and the masses. Industrial partnership between employer and employee would be an effectual remedy, but the adoption of this selfless, beneficent, Christian method of business is not likely to become general. The difficulty is in making the employer see that it would be better for all concerned. They can most quickly be made to see it by an organization of wage-workers sufficiently thorough and extensive to make them masters of legislation and give them an equal voice in determining what shall be their share of the wealth produced by their labor.