the armies of labor-第16部分

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per　in　the　local　lodge　of　the　Knights　of　Labor。　Eager　to　see　the　world；　he　now　began　a　period　of　wandering；　working　his　way　from　State　to　State。　So　he　traversed　the　Far　West　and　the　Southwest；　alert　in　observing　social　conditions　and　coming　in　contact　with　many　types　of　men。　These　wanderings　stood　him　in　lieu　of　an　academic　course；　and　when　he　returned　to　the　coal　fields　of　Illinois　he　was　ready　to　settle　down。　From　his　Irish　parentage　he　inherited　a　genial　personality　and　a　gift　of　speech。　These　traits；　combined　with　his　continual　reading　on　economic　and　sociological　subjects；　soon　lifted　him　into　local　leadership。　He　became　president　of　the　village　school　board　and　of　the　local　lodge　of　the　Knights　of　Labor。　He　joined　the　United　Mine　Workers　of　America　upon　its　organization　in　1890。　He　rose　rapidly　in　its　ranks；　was　a　delegate　to　the　district　and　sub…district　conventions；　secretary…treasurer　of　the　Illinois　district；　chairman　of　the　Illinois　legislative　committee；　member　of　the　executive　board；　and　national　organizer。　In　January；　1898；　he　was　elected　national　vice…president；　and　in　the　following　autumn；　upon　the　resignation　of　the　president；　he　became　acting　president。　The　national　convention　in　1899　chose　him　as　president；　a　position　which　he　held　for　ten　years。　He　has　served　as　one　of　the　vice…presidents　of　the　American　Federation　of　Labor　since　1898；　was　for　some　years　chairman　of　the　Trade　Agreement　Department　of　the　National　Civic　Federation　and　has　held　the　position　of　Chairman　of　the　New　York　State　Industrial　Commission。

When　he　rose　to　the　leadership　of　the　United　Mine　Workers；　this　union　had　only　48；000　members；　confined　almost　exclusively　to　the　bituminous　regions　of　the　West。*　Within　the　decade　of　his　presidency　he　brought　virtually　all　the　miners　of　the　United　States　under　his　leadership。　Wherever　his　union　went；　there　followed　sooner　or　later　the　eight…hour　day；　raises　in　wages　of　from　thirteen　to　twenty…five　per　cent；　periodical　joint　conventions　with　the　operators　for　settling　wage　scales　and　other　points　in　dispute；　and　a　spirit　of　prosperity　that　theretofore　was　unknown　among　the　miners。

*　Less　than　10；000　out　of　140；000　anthracite　miners　were　members　of　the　union。


In　unionizing　the　anthracite　miners；　Mitchell　had　his　historic　fight　with　the　group　of　powerful　corporations　that　owned　the　mines　and　the　railways　which　fed　them。　This　great　strike；　one　of　the　most　significant　in　our　history；　attracted　universal　attention　because　of　the　issues　involved；　because　a　coal　shortage　threatened　many　Eastern　cities；　and　because　of　the　direct　intervention　of　President　Roosevelt。　The　central　figure　of　this　gigantic　struggle　was　the　miners'　young　leader；　barely　thirty　years　old；　with　the　features　of　a　scholar　and　the　demeanor　of　an　ascetic；　marshaling　his　forces　with　the　strategic　skill　of　a　veteran　general。

At　the　beginning　of　the　strike　Mitchell；　as　president　of　the　Union；　announced　that　the　miners　were　eager　to　submit　all　their　grievances　to　an　impartial　arbitral　tribunal　and　to　abide　by　its　decisions。　The　ruthless　and　prompt　refusal　of　the　mine　owners　to　consider　this　proposal　reacted　powerfully　in　the　strikers'　favor　among　the　public。　As　the　long　weeks　of　the　struggle　wore　on；　increasing　daily　in　bitterness；　multiplying　the　apprehension　of　the　strikers　and　the　restiveness　of　the　coal　consumers；　Mitchell　bore　the　increasing　strain　with　his　customary　calmness　and　self…control。

After　the　parties　had　been　deadlocked　for　many　weeks；　President　Roosevelt　called　the　mine　owners　and　the　union　leaders　to　a　conference　in　the　White　House。　Of　Mitchell's　bearing；　the　President　afterwards　remarked：　〃There　was　only　one　man　in　the　room　who　behaved　like　a　gentleman；　and　that　man　was　not　I。〃

The　Board　of　Arbitration　eventually　laid　the　blame　on　both　sides　but　gave　the　miners　the　bulk　of　their　demands。　The　public　regarded　the　victory　as　a　Mitchell　victory；　and　the　unions　adored　the　leader　who　had　won　their　first　strike　in　a　quarter　of　a　century；　and　who　had　won　universal　confidence　by　his　ability　and　demeanor　in　the　midst　of　the　most　harassing　tensions　of　a　class　war。*

*　Mitchell　was　cross…examined　for　three　days　when　he　was　testifying　before　the　Anthracite　Coal　Strike　Commission。　Every　weapon　which　craft；　prejudice；　and　skill　could　marshal　against　him　failed　to　rule　his　temper　or　to　lead　him　into　damaging　admissions　or　contradictions。


John　Mitchell's　powerful　hold　upon　public　opinion　today　is　not　alone　due　to　his　superior　intelligence；　his　self　possession；　his　business　skill；　nor　his　Irish　gift　of　human　accommodation；　but　to　the　greater　facts　that　he　was　always　aware　of　the　grave　responsibilities　of　leadership；　that　he　realized　the　stern　obligation　of　a　business　contract；　and　that　he　always　followed　the　trade　union　policy　of　asking　only　for　that　which　was　attainable。　Soon　after　the　Anthracite　strike　he　wrote：

〃I　am　opposed　to　strikes　as　I　am　opposed　to　war。　As　yet；　however；　the　world　with　all　its　progress　has　not　made　war　impossible；　neither；　I　fear；　considering　the　nature　of　men　and　their　institutions；　will　the　strike　entirely　disappear　for　years　to　come。。。。

〃This　strike　has　taught　both　capital　and　labor　that　they　owe　certain　obligations　to　society　and　that　their　obligations　must　be　discharged　in　good　faith。　If　both　are　fair　and　conciliatory；　if　both　recognize　the　moral　restraint　of　the　state　of　society　by　which　they　are　surrounded；　there　need　be　few　strikes。　They　can；　and　it　is　better　that　they　should；　settle　their　differences　between　themselves。。。。

〃Since　labor　organizations　are　here；　and　here　to　stay；　the　managers　of　employing　corporations　must　choose　what　they　are　to　do　with　them。　They　may　have　the　union　as　a　present；　active；　and　unrecognized　force；　possessing　influence　for　good　or　evil；　but　without　direct　responsibility；　or　they　may　deal　with　it；　give　it　responsibility　as　well　as　power；　define　and　regulate　that　power；　and　make　the　union　an　auxiliary　in　the　promotion　of　stability　and　discipline　and　the　amicable　adjustment　of　all　local　disputes。〃



CHAPTER　VII。　THE　RAILWAY　BROTHERHOODS

The　solidarity　and　statesmanship　of　the　trade　unions　reached　perfection　in　the　railway　〃Brotherhoods。〃　Of　these　the　Brotherhood　of　Locomotive　Engineers*　is　the　oldest　and　most　powerful。　It　grew　out　of　the　union　of　several　early　associations；　one　of　these　was　the　National　Protective　Association　formed　after　the　great　Baltimore　and　Ohio　strike　in　1854；　another　was　the　Brotherhood　of　the　Footboard；　organized　in　Detroit　after　the　bitter　strike　on　the　Michigan　Central　in　1862。　Though　born　thus　of　industrial　strife；　this　railroad　union　has　nevertheless　developed　a　poise　and　a　conservatism　which　have　been　its　greatest　assets　in　the　numerous　controversies　engaging　its　energies。　No　other　union　has　had　a　more　continuous　and　hardheaded　leadership；　and　no　other　has　won　more　universal　respect　both　from　the　public　and　from　the　employer。

*　Up　to　this　time　the　Brotherhoods　have　not　affiliated　with　the　Knights　of　Labor　nor　with　the　American　Federation　of　Labor。　After　the　passage　of　the　eight…hour　law　by　Congress　in　1916；　definite　steps　were　taken　towards　affiliating　the　Railway　Brotherhoods　with　the　Federation；　and　at　its　annual　convention　in　1919　the　Federation　voted　to　grant　them　a　charter。


This　high　position　is　largely　due；　no　doubt；　to　the　fact　that　the　Brotherhood　of　Locomotive　Engineers　is　composed　of　a　very　select　and　intelligent　class　of　men。　Every　engineer　must　first　serve　an　apprenticeship　as　a　fireman；　which　usually　lasts　from　four　to　twelve　years。　Very　few　are　advanced　to　the　rank　of　engineer　in　less　than　four　years。　The　firemen　themselves　are　selected　men　who　must　pass　several　physical　examinations　and　then　submit　to　the　test　of　as　arduous　an　apprenticeship　as　modern　industrialism　affords。　In　the　course　of　an　eight…　to　twelve…hour　run　firemen　must　shovel　from　fifteen　to　twenty…five　tons　of　coal　into　the　blazing　fire　box　of　a　locomotive。　In　winter　they　are　constantly　subjected　to　hot　blasts　from　the　furnace　and　freezing　drafts　from　the　wind。　Records　show　that　out　of　every　hundred　who　begin　as　firemen　only　seventeen　become　engineers　and　of　these　only　six　ever　become　passenger　engineers。　The　mere　strain　on　the　eyes　caused　by　looking　into　the　coal　blaze　eliminates　17　per　cent。　Those　who　eventually　become　engineers　are　therefore　a　select　group　as　far　as　physique　is　concerned。

The　constant　dangers　accompanying　their　daily　work　require　railroad　engineers　to　be　no　less　dependable　from　the　moral　point　of　view。　The　history　of　railroading　is　as　replete　with　heroism　as　is　the　story　of　any　war。　A　coward　cannot　long　survive　at　the　throttle。　The　process　of　natural　selection　which　the　daily　labor　of　an　engineer　involves　the　Brotherhood　has　supplemented　by　most　rigid　moral　tests。　The　character　of　every　applicant　for　membership　is　thoroughly　scrutinized　and　must　be　vouched　for　by　three　members。　He　must　demonstrate　his　skill　and　prove　his　character　by　a　year's　probation　before　his　application　is　finally　voted　upon。　Once　within　the　fold；　the　rules　governing　his　conduct　are　inexorable。　If　he　shuns　his　financial　obligations　or　is　guilty　of　a　moral　lapse；　he　is　summarily　expelled。　In　1909；　thirty…six　members　were　expelled　for　〃unbecoming　conduct。〃　Drunkards　are　particularly　dangerous　in　railroading。

When　the　order　was　only　five　years　old　and　still　struggling　for　its　life；　it　nevertheless　expelled　172　members　for　drunkenness。　In　proven　cases　of　this　sort　the　railway　authorities　are　notified；　the　offending　engineer　is　dismissed　from　the　service；　and　the　shame　of　these　culprits　is　published　to　the　world　in　the　Locomotive　Engineers'　Journal；　which　reaches　every　member　of　the　order。　There　is　probably　no　other　club　or　professional　organization　so　exacting　in　its　demands　that　its　members　be　self…respecting；　faithful；　law…abiding；　and　capable；　and　surely　no　other　is　so　summary　and　far…reaching　in　its　punishments。

Today　ninety　per　cent　of　all　the　locomotive　engineers　in　the　United　States　and　Canada　belong　to　this　union。　But　the　Brotherhood　early　learned　the　lesson　of　exclusion。　In　1864　after　very　annoying　experiences　with　firemen　and　other　railway　employees　on　the　Pittsburgh；　Fort　Wayne　and　Chicago　Railroad；　it　amended　its　constitution　and　exc