Workmen's Advocate

THE RATS' STATUS.

THE NON-UNIONIST'S POSITION DEFINED.

Formation of the International Typographical Union—Breaking a Promise—Boycott Rats!

The Rats Must Go!

Bad Company.

It is to be presumed that most working people have a fair idea of the status of the rat or scab, technically so-called; yet there may be some who would be glad of a little light upon the subject of ratism; indeed, we have often been asked to explain the reason why union men look with such contempt upon these, let us hope, abnormal specimens of humanity.

Let us take for example, the rat printer; for, what applies to him, or it, may be understood to apply to the scab, knobstick, plug, or by whatever name the honorable workmen in their respective crafts may denominate the dishonorable traitors among them.

A way back in 'Forty nine, a number of New York printers, some of whom are still living, thought it would be to their interest as well as to that of their employers to form a Union, and several preliminary meetings having been held, a permanent organization was effected in January, 1850, and called the "New York Printers' Union."

Horace Greeley was first president of the Union, and his memory is held in reverence by all union men.

In 1852 the National Typographical Union was formed, and in 1869, the Canadian Unions having been admitted to fellowship, the name was changed to the International Typographical Union, which name it now bears, and under its banner twenty thousand union men and women honor the ancient craft today.

When the young printer joins the union he solemnly promises to obey its laws and to demand the scale of prices fixed by vote of its members. Surely this should be a promise easy of fulfillment. The competition among proprietors, or their greed for gain, prompts them to exact as much work for as little pay as possible, and the scale of prices adopted by the Union is intended to protect the laborer against the degrading and impoverishing effects of reckless competition and grasping greed. It costs labor and thought and money to conduct a union, and one would think that all who earn their living by working for wages would deem it a duty to support such an organization. Unfortunately, such is not the case; though it would be unjust to say that all who are not members of the union are dishonorable, for there are many who never had an opportunity to know of the workings of a union.

But then, there are some who, having taken upon themselves an obligation to do an honorable act, and having gained the confidence of their brother members, basely betray the trust, and for the sake of apparent gain, always deceptive, take sides with the profit-mongering bosses against their struggling brothers. These creatures, devoid of honor or truth, are termed rats, in printers' parlance.

Can honorable men be censured for displaying a certain disgust and loathing for such creatures? Is there a man or woman with a sense of honor that can contemplate the rat with anything but contempt?

And what shall we say of the employers who hire these people to the detriment of honest labor, and even import them into this city to take the place of union men for the sake of a slight reduction in the price of labor? The merchants who advertise in 'rat sheets' are not conserving their own interests, for it is a well-established fact that "good wages for the workman means prosperity to the merchant;" and any employer who cuts wages by employing rats is doing just so much to injure the business of the merchant-class. Therefore we say boycott the rat and boycott his owner.

The non-union man we invite to join with us and help us in our efforts to compel, if need be, by all lawful means, the payment of such wages as are deemed right and just by the majority, and as is scheduled in the scale of prices. The non-union man, if he is honorable, cannot feel at home in the company of dishonorable rats, and yet many a young man is spending his working hours with those who have proved themselves dishonorable, and who are not worthy of the society of square men, be they members of a union or not. The non-union man stands as a menace to the union men, for he is used by employers as a convenient tool to crush out an honorable society which is a benefit to both employers and employes, and a protection for them both against a contemptible competition.

Unscrupulous capitalists and employers are doing their best to prejudice this class of men against labor organizations; and the reason should be plain to all: they wish to exploit labor without let or hindrance; they care only for their own aggrandizement, and leave the patient worker to the tender mercies of "supply and demand" as created by their will and that of their fellow exploiters throughout the land.

And what shall the workers, and the merchants who live from the wages of workers, do about it?

This is our answer: As long as the law will not protect them against aggressive capital, let them boycott rats and the employers of rats.

As to the non-unionists, let them join with us, and come in out of the rain; for it is only a question of time when the rat must go!