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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (May 15, 1908)
rWVir.r- ifwwrnixrmjiviniiip1 1 ""(""VU PWWrtimW'f! wprf "T tv The Cbmmonerii 14 VOLUME 8, NUMBER 18 r 4nr Labor's Protest to Congress "' (Continued from Pngo 9) ( The workors ask from con gross tho iToliof which it alono cun givo from tho Injustice which will surely ro 'sult from tho literal enforcement of the Sherman anti-trust law as inter preted by this decision. Tho speedy ' onactmonts of labor's proposed ' amendment to tho Sherman anti trust law will do uuch to restore the rights of which tho tollers have been shorn, i Wo submit for consideration, and trust tho same will bo enacted, two I provisions amendatory of the Sher man anti-trust law, which originally woro a part of the Mil during the stages of its consideration by tho sen ate and before its final passage, and which aro substantially as follows: "That nothing in said act (Sher man anti-trust law) or in this act is intondod nor shall any provision thereof hereafter bo enforced so as to apply to organizations or associa tions not for profit and without capi tal stock, nor to tho members of such organizations or associations." "That nothing in said act (Sher man anti-trust law) or in this act is Intondod nor shall any provision thereof horeaftor bo enforced so aB to apply to any arrangements, agree ments, or combinations among per- 7 sons engagod In agriculturo or horti culture made with a view of enhanc ing the prico of their own agricul tural, or horticultural products." It is clearly an unwarranted as sumption on tho part of the courts or others to place tho voluntary associa tions of the workers in tho same cat egory as trusts and corporations own ing stock and organized for profit ,On the one hand, wo have the tr'ustB and corporations dealing with plroly material things and mostly j with tho inanimate products of labor. On tho other hand, there are the , workors whose labor power is part of their very lives and beings, and 1 which can not be differentiated from their ownership in and of themselves. The offort to categorically place the workers in tho same position as those I who deal in tho products of labor of others is tho failure to discern be tween things and, man. It is often flippantly averred that labor is a -commodity, but modern civilization has clearly and sharply drawn the line between a bushel of coal, a sldo of pork and tho soul of a human, breathing, living man. Tho enactment of the legislation which we ask will tend to so define and safeguard tho rights of the work ers of today and those who will come ( after them, that they may hope to continue to enjoy tho blessings of a free country as intended by the lounaors or our government. In the rolief asked for in the pro posed amendment to tho Sherman anti-trust law which wo present to congress, labor asks for no special privileges and no exemption from the treatment which any law-abiding cit izen might hope to receive in a free country. Indeed, tho present parliament of Groat Britain at its session in De cember, 1906, enacted into law what is known as the trades dispute act. It is brief and wo therefore quote Its provisions In full: "1. It shall bo lawful for any per sqn or persons acting either on their own behalf or on behalf of a trade union or other association of indi- USE ALLEN'S FOOT-EASE. rests tho foot mu mnkw now or tJRht shoos Sis? m niVp, "i Iwcknro. also Prco snmnlo lllVOMtlr.il t.l,l,. ITT l.T ., ZZV .f", U iOV, N, Y, o. VJUM8TKD, tuto of tho it vlduals, registered or unregistered, in contemplation of' or during tho con tinuance of any trade dispute, to at tend for any of tho following pur poses at or near a house or place where a person resides or works, or carries on his business, or happens to bo (1) for the purpose of peace fully obtaining Or communicating information; (2) for tho purpose of peacefully persuading any person to work or abstain from working. "2. An-agreement or combination by two or moro persons to do or pro cure to bo done any act In contem plation or furtherance of a trade dispute shall not bo ground for an action, if such act when committed by one person would not bo ground for an action. "3. An action shall not be brought against a trade union or other asso ciation aforesaid for the recovery of damage sustained by any person or persons by reason of the action of a member or members of such trade union or other association afore said." We submit that if such rolief from tho onerous conditions brought about by the Taff-Vale decision of the highest court of Great Britain can be enacted by a monarchical gov ernment, there ought to be no hesi tancy in conceding It In our own re public. The unions of labor aim to improve tho standard of life; to uproot ignor ance and foster education; to instil character, manhood, and an inde pendent spirit among our people; to bring about a recognition of the interdependence of man upon his fel lowman. -We aim to establish a nor mal work-day; to take the children from the factory and workshop and. give them the opportunity of the schools, the home, and the play ground. In a word, our unions strive, to lighten toll,, educate their membors, "make their homes more cheerful, and in every way con tribute an earnest effort toward mak ing life the better worth living. To achieve these praiseworthy ends, wo believe that all honorable and law ful means are justllable and com mendable, and should receive the sympathetic support of every right thinking American. Labor asks only for justice. It asks that It be not victimized and penallzod under laws never intended to apply to it. We hope for a prompt recognition on the part of congress of the wage workers' very reasonable and mod erate insistence in this important matter. In addition, the other most impor tant measures which labor urges are: The bill to regulate and limit tho issuance of injunctions "Pearre bill." Employers liability bill. Tho bill extending the application of the eight hour law to all govern ment employes, and those employed upon work for tho government, whether by contractors or sub-contractors. There are other measures pending which we regard as important, but we feel especially justified in urging tho passage of those mentioned, be cause they have been before congress iui several sessions, and upon which oxtended hearings have been had be fore committees, every interest con cerned having had ample opportunity to present arguments, and there Is no good reason why action should long er be deferred by congress. Wo come to congress hoping for a prompt and adequate remedy for the grievances of which we justly com plain. The psychological moment has arrived for a total change of governmental policy toward tho workers; to permit it to pass may be tionaTlife. aSter VeU t0 0Ur na ' 1 L- In this frank statement of its grievances tho attitude of labor should not be misinterpreted, nor should it be hold as wanting in re spect for our highest law-making' body. That tho workers, while smarting under a most keen sense of injustice and neglect, turn first' to congress for a remedy, shows how greatly they still trust in the power and willingness of this branch of the gov ernment to restore, safe-guard, and protect their rights. Labor proposes to aid in this work by exercising its utmost political and industrial activity, its moral and so cial influence, in order that the in terests of the masses may be repre sented in congress by those who are pledged to do justice to labor and to all our people, not to promote the special interests of those who would injure the whole body politic by crippling and enslaving the toilers. Labor is most hopeful that con gress will appreciate the gravity of the situation which we have en deavored to present. The workers trust that congress will shake off the apathy which has heretofore charac terized it on this subject, and per forin a beneficent social service for the whole people by enacting such legislation as will restore confidence among the workers that their needs as law-abiding citizens will be heeded. Only by such action will a crisis be averted. There must be some thing more substantial than fair promises. The present feeling of wide-spread apprehension among the workers of our country becomes more acute every day. The desire for de cisive action becomes more intense. While it is true that there is no legal appeal from a supreme court decision, yet we believe congress can and should onact such further legis lation as will more clearly define the rights and liberties of the workers. Should labor's petition for the righting of the wrongs which have been imposed upon it and the rem edying of injustice done to it pass unheeded by congress and those who administer the affairs of our govern ment then upon those who have failed to do their duty, and not upon me woricers wiu rest the responsi bility. Tho labor union Is a natural, ra tional, and inevitable .outgrowth of our modern industrial conditions. To outlaw the union in the exercise of its normal activities for the protec tion and. advancement of labor and the advancement of society in gen eral, is to lo a tremendous injury to all people. The repression of right and nat ural activities is bound to finally break forth in violent form of pro test, especially among the more ignorant of the people, who will feel great bitterness if denied the con sideration they have a right to ex pect at the hands of congress. As the authorized representatives of the organized wage-earners of our country, we present to you in the most conservative and earnest man- IZl l pr?test aSainst the wrongs which they have to endure and some of the rights and relief to which they are justly entitled. There is not a wrong for which we seek- redress, or a right to which wo aspire which d.oes not or will not be equally shared by all the workers by all the people. While no member of congress or party can evade or avoid his or their ?S5, liKIXldual or party share of re sponsibility, we aver that the party n power must and will by labor and Us sympathizers be held primarily re sponsible for the failure to give the prompt, full and effective congres sional relief we know to be within its power. Wo COme to vnn tirf o ,oi.i- partisans, whether republican, demo- VT " "tuer Dut as representa tives of tho .wage-workers of our country whoso rights, Interests and welfare have been jeopardized and flagrantly woefully disregarded and neglected. We come id you because you are responsible l for legislation or tho failure of legislation, it these, or new questions, are unset tled and any other political party be come responsible for legislation, wo shall press home upon its represent atives and hold them responsible equally as we now must hold you ' Samuel Gompers, W. R; Fairley, P. J. McArdle, W. D. Mahon, Joseph Valentine, C. N. Barnett, T. C. 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