The New Philosophy Of A.F. Of L.
Oneal, James
The New Philosophy Of A.F. Of L. By James Oneal American trade-union* hmv* contributed pratkajjjy nothing to now ld»M in the present century down to 1M0, Since that roar trad*-, union...
...In other words, the natural evolution of society must bring the functional groups together in time for the solution of industrial problems...
...Germany, Austria and England since the end of the World War have witnessed experiments in industry similar to the one suggested in this program and it would seem that its authors would have formulated something more definite...
...It concerns itself with the stability and proper functioning of the whole industrial order of production, distribution, exchange and credit...
...What ii interesting in the new declaration of the American Federation « Labor as adopted'at Portlend, Ore., last October It that it defies classification It is syndicalist In He opposition to a labor party and to the interference of the state in industrial relations, but it is antisyndicalist In ultimate alms and methods...
...T h a t ia t h e general sense of their s p e e c h ." At that moment t h e h o l y Mael c l a s p e d his h a n d s and alghed d e e p l y. "Do y o u eee, my e o n , " h e e x c l a i m e d , "that madman wko w i t k hi* t e e th ie b i t i n g t h e n o e e o f t h e a d v e r s a r y k e has overthrown a n d t h a t other o n e w k o i s pounding a woman's k e a d w i t h a h u g e stone 7" "I s e e t h e m , " s a id B u l l o c h . . ' T h e y are c r e a t i n g l a w ; they a r e founding property...
...These groups sre the "organised functional elements in industry," which, In time, will easily solve "those problems to which politicians now turn their attention in futility...
...St...
...Senator Santiago Iglesia*, the head of both the political and economic forces of Labor has made it clear time and time again that the real cause of the trouble in Porto Rico is not political so much as economic and not political separation but power to deal with the economic aicoathn ie what is needed by the island, and the Sen* ator further points out that the sugar planters have generally succeeded In having the island run the way they went i t Thus he points out the need of an effective Labor Party...
...It is probable that in the next few years the A. F. of L. will move cautiously to a more definite presentation of its new ppint of view, and it will be interesting to observe it emerging in clearer and more definite outlines...
...Its criticism of modern industry is that "the group that controls investment or credit controls the policies of industry...
...At t h e eame time h e heard ka a l l d i r e c t i o n s erica end complaint* mounting u p f r om t h e wallow toward* t ko tranquil . hy ' And h e aaid to Bulloch: " l o c k teward* SureJJe, Bulloch, m y s o n . . In yonder i pleasant r a l l e y a doaen m e n p e n g u i n s a r c b u s y knocking each o t h e r down w i t k t k o s p a d e s a n d p i c k s that they might e m p l o y belter in t i l l i ng tko ground...
...It waa, however, the doctrine destined t o prevail in e p o c h s of advanced civilization...
...Despite certain differences to be found in each of these movements, each one presents certain fundamental views and definite objects as well as methods of obtaining them...
...Attention is first given to the Impersonal forces which the authors believe point the way...
...It "must organise and come together in deliberative bodies, where the full wisdom and experience of all may contribute to final decisions...
...It i s born a n d preserved b y force, n that i t i s august a n d y i e l d s o n l y to a g r e a t e r force...
...Something more has happened to indicate a change in the point of view of the unions...
...In most of the modern nations it has been stated in terms similar to the alms of the Socialist parties...
...Such ie hie c h a r a c t e r and it ia impossible t o imagine it apart f r om a certain appropriation o f things...
...Extraordinary efforts sre being made to secure s campaign fund for ths election of 19*4 thst will allow ef aa effective campaign...
...It I s t h e o n ly right t h a t receives r e s p e c t s i n c e i t i s t h e o n l y o n e t h at makes itself respected...
...PORTO RICAN SOCIALIST MOVEMENT By WILLIAM A. TOOLE Forte Rican labor la salted upon the political snd industrial fields' with the asms leaders la both organisations...
...View of the Future The future which thia anew tradeunion philosophy has in mind is the "extension of freedom, the enfranchisement of the producer as such, the rescue of industry from chaos, profiteering and purely Individual whim, including individual incapacity, and the rescue of industry also from the domination of incompetent political bodies . . . We must look to a future that must have its foundation upon cooperation and collaboration...
...How does trade-unionism propose to organise for this purpose and what definite program does it offer which leads to the solution...
...The group standing for American state-hood is represented by the Republican party, which is allied with the National Republican party, sending delegates to the National Republican conventions and taking part in the factional affairs of that party...
...These include the struggles of industrial groups which are "signs snd signals of dawning comprehension, the birth pangs ef aa Industrial order attempting through painful experience to find itself and to discover Its proper functioning...
...The decision of the Conference for Progressive Political Action to hold a convention in Cleveland July 4, when the question of a third party ia to be considered, Is believed to have bad some effect on the decision on the St Paul conferees to postpone their convention until June 17...
...It affirms the "inadequacy of existing forms and institutions...
...Ha has not only moulded the unlettered worker* of Porto Rico into a formidable Labor Party, but ho hes impressed the country sufficiently so as to be chosen Senator-At-Large, a conspicuous tribute of general respect...
...He w e n t u p to a l i t t l e p e n g u i n w h o w a s watering h i s vegetable* in t h e heat of t h e tun, a n d shouted t o him t "Your field i . m i n e !" And having delivered himself of this stout utterance . h e brought down hie c l u b o n t k o k e a d of t h e l i t t l e p e n - Kin, w h o f e l l d e a d upon t h e field that hie o w n handa 1 d t i l l e d. At thia eight t h e h o l y Mael shuddered through his whole b o d y a n d poured forth a flood of tear...
...It is worthy of note, however, that the association of sugsr planters has telegraphed the commission in Washington that in their opinion no change in the political structure of the island is advisable...
...Shaping state policies is a matter of politics and political action...
...This is an aim that few will quarrel with, but the big problem is how to realize it.' The redder will naturally turn to the paragraphs which attempt to meet the requirement...
...The solar a n d proud origin of fproperty Is force...
...State "invasion of industrial life ia real," to be sure, but the invasion is not satisfactory to the trade-unions because it haa generally been an invasion of what they consider to be their liberty...
...Reader* are eaetsett te offer uUtthut far ee^eideraUen...
...Socialist* What Economic Change The Socialist Party and th* forces of organised Labor are for continued connection with the United State...
...Despite lack of confidence in a party of its own, it still has confidence in the policy of supporting "friends" nominated by the two major parties...
...By aetting bound* to their held...
...This has been done long ego by practically ail the trade-unions of other countries...
...In "Penguin Island," Anatole F r a n c s tells t h e story of race of Penguins, who had been transformed into semi-human creatures) O W one autumn morning, a s t h e blossod Mael waa w a l k i n g in t h e v a l l e y of C l a n g e fat c o m p a n y with a monk of Yvern c a l l e d Bullock, h o s a w kernels of fierce-looking men l o a d e d witk atone* passing a l o n g t he roads...
...In France It took the form of* syndicalism...
...In spite of this aversion to the state the very logic of the situation forces the federation to political action, although it insists that such action should chiefly be confined to support of candidates of the old parties...
...Some such decisions are taken In certain industries at certain times, but they are not taken for the whole industrial life of the United States, and it is the whole of industry, including agriculture, for which this new declaration has been adopted...
...The impression left on the student of this proposal is that its framers moved carefully, step by step, to the very threshold of their alms and then ventured into mysticism because they sre not certain of what they mean...
...Does It mesn work councils which, Independent of ths state, hare been an interesting experiment m England T One will read this program ia vain for aa snswer...
...He waa reared in Spain, yet he has been for almost of this time an American eitisen by choice...
...It is claimed thst "the decisions that caused more than 6,000,000 workers td be for months without work were not decisions of Congress...
...Industry Snd Service This aspect of the problem is met by stating that "Industry must organize for service, for constructive effort, for orderly continuity, tor justice to all who participate...
...I d o not distinguish t h e i r words, but t h e y < a r c a n g r y one*, j u d g i n g f r om t h e tone...
...Since the American occupation of the Island, there have been two parties divided along political lines, one demanding independence, the othjr state-hood with all the right* of the American Constitution...
...The natives have to do without or pay exorbitant prices, as fruit is also imported...
...Alaal Bulloch, m y sets, wky a r e t h e y murdering e a c h other in t h i s way 7 " "From a spirit of f e l l o w s h i p , f a t h e r , a n d t h r o u g h forethought f o r t h e future," a n s w e r e d Bulloch...
...It must be confessed that a great deal of the power of the Socialist* rests on the genius of this one outstanding man, Santiago Iglesia...
...And t h a t b i g r e d man, w h e n h e k n o c k e d d o wn a laborer t o g e t poseaaion of bis field, founded a t that moment a v e r y n o b l e h o u s e upon t h i s e a r t h . I congratulate h im u p o n i t " Having thus s p o k e n Bullock a p p r o a c h e d t h e b i g pen* guin, w h o w a s l e a n i n g upon his c l u b a s h o s t o o d in t h e . blood-stained furrow t "Lord Greatauk, d r e a d e d Prince," aaid k e , b o w i n g to tke ground, "I come t o p a y y o u t k e h o m a g e d u e to t h e founder of l e g i t i m a t e p o w e r a n d h e r e d i t a r y w e a l t h . T k o skull Of t h e v i l e Penguin y o u h a v e overthrown will, buried ha y o u r field, attest f o r e v e r t h e s a c r e d r i g h t s o f your posterity e v e r this soil that y o u h a v e ennobled...
...Th* first is known as the Unionist party and Is controlled by the big sugar planters, many of whom sre Spaniards...
...Aa t h e y fight t h e y e x c h a n g e invectivee and threat...
...While it Is true that Riley made himself ridiculous In some of hi* pronouncements, yet th* true cause of th* campaign against him, which resulted in hi* resignation, was that he favored an American standard of living on the island and gave hi* wholehearted support to many of the plans of organised Labor to increase it* well-being...
...Tkt ntmt tf tkt emtktr end the Mo ef the book from which tkt teiotHtm it taken tm*t ***u*teaw> *** 6e*B>AssJtBBh THE ORIGIN OF PROPERTY By ANATOLE FRANCE , (From Penguin /stolid...
...Credit is "continuously purloined for purely exploiting, profiteering, speculative and wasteful purposes...
...However, we will resume this series In the next issue and believe that the omission will not occur again...
...It is still the old tradeunionism, except ee it is modified by the qualifications stated above, lie Criticism This new trade-unionism suggests a body of man reluctant to abandon eM satellsrtuel mooringa yet feeling trV doceasity of making concessions to progressive thought...
...A Contradiction It may be said that this is a contradiction...
...The very legislation it cites as being evil can only be repealed by influencing the state...
...The womoa still more cruel than t h e men, a r e t e a r i n g their eppsav ants' f a c e e w i t k their hand...
...This i s w h y i t i s correct to s a y t h a t h e w h o p o s s e s s e s Is noble...
...It was because of thli latter fact that the Unionist party was enabled to use the Democratic press of this country in its campaign against Governor Riley, the first appointee of President Harding...
...It also has its criticism of the interference of the state in industrial relations...
...Those p e n g u i n s w h o m y o u s e e . are d i v i d i n g t h e ground among t h e m s e l v e s ." "Could t h e y not d i r i d e it witk leas v i o l e n c e ? " asked the a g e d man...
...That ie t h e origin of all government...
...And i n a v o i c e stifled b y horror a n d fear h e addressed this p r a y e r to h e a v e n: "O Lord, m y God, O t k o u w k o d i d s t r e c e i v e young Abel's sacrifices, t k o u w k o didst curse Cain, avenge, O Lord, this innocent penguin sacrificed u p o n hia o w n field a n d make t h e murderer f e e l t h e w e i g h t o f t h y arm...
...Throughout t h e ages t h e i r work will ke consecrated k y l a w y e r s , and magistrates will confirm it...
...Of L. By James Oneal American trade-union* hmv* contributed pratkajjjy nothing to now ld»M in the present century down to 1M0, Since that roar trad*-, union banki have captured the imagination of the unionist...
...Want Workers te Bale The Socialist Party while insisting that the real trouble is economic, stands for the election of the governor instead of his appointment by the President and the representation in Congress of the Porto Ricsn people...
...It frankly condemns "the operation of industry for the dominant purpose of producing private profit," which has "produced all the evils of autocracy because it is autocratic...
...The threat of state Invasion of industrial life is real," reads the declaration...
...Only two paragraphs consider1 "this concrete and important matter, and both leave us perplexed St to what la really meant...
...The EsehCummins Act, tha Kansas Court Of Industrial Relations, the Colorado Industrial Commission and the Sherman Anti-Trust Act are all cited aa bungling Interference on the part of the state...
...With this distrust of the state it logically follows that the American Federation of Labor opposes the organisation of a labor party...
...For m a n 1B e s s e n t i a l l y provident a n d sociable...
...Your penguins, O Master, a r e performing t h e moat a u g u s t of functions...
...Thli is nothing leas then an attempt to state the philosophy of trade-unions in terms of social and industrial change...
...It is Socialist in so far as it protests against the profit motive at the basis of Industrial life, but it is anti-Socialist In that It does not seek to abolish private or corporate ownership of natural resources and industry...
...Blessed b e your sons a n d your s o n s ' sons...
...Owing to the wide interest which this discussion of the present'political situation in . the United States haa created, we are sure that our readers will be as disappointed as we are...
...I s h a l l h a v e n o trouble in s h o w i n g y o u h e w . To till t h e l a n d is o n e thing, to poeaeas it is another, a nd these t w o t h i n g s must n o t b e c o n f u s e d ; a s r e g a r d s ownership t h e right of t h e first o c c u p i e r is uncertain a n d badly founded...
...Uncertain Meaning When one turns to tha literature of the old trade-unionism he is net left with any misunderstanding as to what is meant...
...The distrust of the state is also justified by the American Federation of Labor on the grounds that the decisions that "most vitally affect the intimate daily lives of our people are the decisions that are made in industry...
...ANNOUNCEMENT Owing to an unfortunate complication of circumstances which could not be avoided, The New Leader is unable to present the third article in the series by Morris Ilillquit in this issue...
...t 'Take care, father,'' said Bullock gently, "That what y o u c a l l murder and robbery m a y not r e a l l y be war a n d conquest, thoae s a c r e d f o u n d a t i o n s o f empires, those sources o f a l l h u m a n virtue* a n d a l l h u m a n g r e a t ness...
...The tentative amount hes been est at 116,000 end of this nearly $8,000 have been collected, which with the very lew wages prevailing in Porte Rice it considered a remarkable showing The Socialist Party Is represented by one member In the Insular Senate and by two members ef the House of Representatives, end it is expected that this will be very largely increased at the coming eleetton, Indeed, a campaign is even now being waged with tha Idea of capturing the lower house, and with ths p r e c e n t political situation unchanged this Is not impossible...
...The new program of the American Federation of Labor, however, has the distinction of uncertainty regarding ultimate ideal and methods of realising i t Possibly this is due to the caution which has always distinguished the policy of its leaders when considering any departure from old forms or methods...
...Nevertheless, this program chooses to consider the unemployment of 6,000,000 workers the result of "decisions" taken by powerful men in Industry...
...t h e y a r e e s t a b l i s h i n g t he principles of civilization, t h e basis of society, and t he foundations of the S t a t e ." "How is t h a t ? " aaked o l d Mael...
...He came here (Porto Rico) from Cuba twenty-five yean ago...
...The right of conquest, on t h e o t h er hand, r e s t s o n more s o l id foundations...
...It there a more odious crime, Is t h e r e a g r a v e r offeatoB against t h y juetice, O Lord, than thia murder a n d t h is robbery...
...Political Division...
...It is...
...Paul Conference Postponed to June 17 St Paul.The conference of Labor political elements scheduled for St Paul, May 30, at which it was planned to launch a third party has been postponed until June 17...
...Whilst the monk, Bulloch, waa pronouncing these words a big penguin w i t h a fair s k i n a n d r ed hair went down i n t o t h e v a l l e y c a r r y i n g a trunk of a t r e e upon his shoulder...
...In England it is a blend of Socialist and trade-union alms...
...Meny people consider him, even above He nor Barcale (the Unionist leader) the powerful man in Porto Bico and Senor Par re Capo frankly admitted to me, now that a truce exists before the csmpaign Is under way, that he believes the Socialist Party under his (Igleslaa) leadership "is tha coming parly of | Petto Rico, FOR YOUR SCRAP BOOK Under thi* t f t sW Tkt Jveie Lttdtr tee* Maria* etmrpi* /rem took*, ancient or modern, that ear reader* SB Bald Be triad te heap for future reference...
...What is here called "decisions" are often the results of the operation of economic laws...
...The result Is a document that is often obscure, yet aa the whole leaving tha impression that industry must come under democratic control in order to function for the general welfare...
...Bulloch can be con»idered aa t h e Creator of civil l a w in Penguinia...
...The eame may be said of Socialism, syndicalism and communism...
...is new to Americs as it is apparently an advance beyond the old unionism that concerned itself with hours, wagea and sanitary conditions...
...Forte Bice has a population smaller than that of Maryland, yet it has 26,000 members of the American Federation of Labor snd a Socialist Party With 4,000 duae paying member* and a vote In 1020 ef SO,000...
...Everything in the island is used for the benefit of the sugsr and tobacco planters...
...The form of organisation in industry, the relation and power of each "functional group" Snd how far decisions are to penetrate the fields of management, technic, dividends and wages, are matters that are left to conjecture...
...The other paragraph states the necessity of "the coming together in working bodies of all organisations through representatives who shall apeak for organised groupings?' That is all...
...In any event, the program itself is an example of that universal unrest and distrust of old formulas which have been manifest in this post-war period in all countries...
...Of the Socialist leadership In Porto Rico the writer of the article above quoted says...
...Senator Iglesit* pointed out that wages in Porto Rico average about seventy-five cents a day, that the worker* are unemployed more than one third of the time, that the cost of living was very high as nearly all the foodstuffs were imported from the United States, and that the island, imported its own fish, while no fruit is raised on the island...
...They state that they "urge no new formula, no new philosophy...
...T h e y a r e accusing o n e another o f thof t a n d encroachment," a n s w e r e d Bulloch...
...T h e y shall h e Greatauk*, Dukes o f S k u l l , a n d t k e y skall r u l e o v e r t h is island o f A l c a ." Then raiaing hie v o i c e and turning towards t h e holy Mael: "Bless Greatauk, father, f o r all p o w e r comes from G o d . " Mael remained ailent and motionless, w i t k hi* e y es raised t o w a r d s h e a v e n ; h e f e l t a painful u n c e r t a i n t y fas judging t h e monk Bulloch'* doctrine...
...Thirteen organisations from eight atstes are reported to have been present at the conference hero...
...Reflect, a b o v e a l l , that in blaming t k e k i g pen*: gum you are attacking property in its origin and at its source...
Vol. 1 • March 1924 • No. 9
