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Labor Organizations

the banding together of industrial workers for mutual protection against the oppressive action of employers, and for aggressive action in bringing about better working conditions, better wages and shorter hours, etc. Such organizations were first formed in Great Britain after the invention of steam-driven machinery brought about the factory system of production in manufacturing, and were then forbidden by act of Parliament. During this period of prohibition the workingmen organized secretly and often resorted to terrorism in enforcing their demands. Eventually this act was repealed and labor organization progressed at a normal rate.

The first labor organizations in the United States appeared in the early thir- LABOR ORGANIZATIONS ties of last century, the various trade unions joining together into municipal and district federations. These bodies also participated in politics, and one, in New York City, sent its president to Congress in 1833. An attempt was then made to form a national labor party, generally known then as the Loco-Foco Party. In New England a broader form of organization was formed, in the late thirties and the early forties, known as the Farmers, Mechanics and Workingmen's Association, with central headquarters in Boston. Another organization was the New England Workingmen's Protective Union, organized on a basis somewhat similar to a fraternal order, with local chapters in each community. This latter fraternity, however, emphasized co-operative buying more than trade union action, and when its commercial enterprises failed, shortly before the Civil War, it too went to pieces. Shortly after the Civil War a nationwide labor organization was formed, known as the Noble Order of the Knights of Labor, also assuming the form of a fraternal order. This body acquired a strong membership all over the industrial sections of the country during the eighties. Its leadership was extremely radical, and desired to bring about a socialistic order of society, not through politics, but through co-partnership and co-operative enterprises. It was this program which brought about the ultimate destruction of the organization, as the co-partnership enterprises proved themselves inherently impractical and by their failures inspired the rank and file with a sense of discouragement. At a later date the leaders turned their attention to politics and, with the agricultural elements of the Middle West, formed the Populist Party. The failure of this political organization brought about the final decline of the Knights of Labor.

Meanwhile, in the early nineties, a tendency toward trade unionism manifested itself, and eventually resulted in the American Federation of Labor, which is the dominating form of labor organization in the United States at the present day.

Labor organizations, as a whole, may be divided into two distinct classes, or phases; trade unionism, and industrial unionism. Trade unionism, or crafts unionism, as it is sometimes called, is of British origin. Under this form the workers are organized in bodies according to their trades, regardless of location. Thus, on a single house the members of twenty different labor organizations may be employed. polition, and one, in tempt as then nal labor party. he Loco-Foco broader form formed, in the late y forties, known as and Working. central bead.

Another organiza England Working Inion, organized on a milar to a fraternal apters in each com fraternity, however, tive buying moru action, and when ita d, shortly be to pieces. a nation formed, f the Knights the form of body acquired a all over the indus country during the es extremely ring about not through tnership and It was this Sout the ulti zation, ises proved ractical and by ank and filo ent. At a d their attenagricul West Dura whole, may and indu or craft s called, is of is form the bodies accord gle house the men labor organ tire