A workman should use the best tools at his command--the
workman's best tool is his ballot. Everything that men want it
can give them if used intelligently. The reasons urged against
its use by labor unions are conscientious but not strong. They
are based upon the fact that labor men fear to trust each other,
and fear especially to trust their leaders. They will not vote
as unions because they fear that they may be sold out--that is
the plain, unpleasant fact.
We cannot believe that their fears are well founded. We know
that leaders both able and honest can be found among American
workingmen, and we say that they should be found and trusted
promptly. ----
For mark this:
THE TRUSTS WILL INEVITABLY COMPEL THE LABOR UNIONS TO BECOME
POLITICAL UNIONS.
TRUSTS WILL MAKE IT CLEAR TO UNIONS THAT THEIR ONLY HOPE IS IN
POLITICAL ACTION WHICH SHALL GIVE THEM THE POWER TO CONTROL
LEGISLATION.
When individual firms are competing the injustice of one firm may
be punished and controlled by a strike.