ABSTRACT

When the American Federation of Labor took the first step in its present political course twenty years ago it pointed out that trade-unionism, in teaching the paramount importance of questions affecting the lives. Homes of the labor seller, also teaches the citizen that the use of the ballot should be determined by these issues. While the unions were "in politics" from the first, many of their utterances in the early days were distinctly anti-political. The proposition that all political intervention in industrial affairs means either political jugglery or the bungling of politicians, had the unions definitely and permanently accepted it, would have precluded any but a purely defensive political activity. Labor was engaged in politics, but it was invariably and consistently pointed out that labor's political power was based mainly not on its voting strength elections, but on its economic power. The possession of great economic power does not imply its abuse, but rather its right use.