Thisisafactwhichmanywell-intentionedpeopleevento-daydonotunderstand。Theydonotunderstandthatthelaborproblemisahumanandamoralaswellasaneconomicproblem；thatafallinwages，anincreaseinhours，adeteriorationoflaborconditionsmeanwholesalemoralaswellaseconomicdegeneration，andtheneedlesssacrificeofhumanlivesandhumanhappiness，whileariseofwages，alesseningofhours，abetteringofconditions，meananintellectual，moralandsocialupliftofmillionsofAmericanmenandwomen。Thereareemployersto-daywho，likethegreatcoaloperators，speakasthoughtheywerelordsofthesecountlessarmiesofAmericans，whotoilinfactory，inshop，inmillandinthedarkplacesundertheearth。Theyfailtoseethatallthesemenhavetherightandthedutytocombinetoprotectthemselvesandtheirfamiliesfromwantanddegradation。
TheyfailtoseethattheNationandtheGovernment，withintherangeoffairplayandajustadministrationofthelaw，mustinevitablysympathizewiththemenwhohavenothingbuttheirwages，withthemenwhoarestrugglingforadecentlife，asopposedtomen，howeverhonorable，whoaremerelyfightingforlargerprofitsandanautocraticcontrolofbigbusiness。Eachmanshouldhaveallheearns，whetherbybrainorbody；andthedirector，thegreatindustrialleader，isoneofthegreatestofearners，andshouldhaveaproportionalreward；butnomanshouldliveontheearningsofanother，andthereshouldnotbetoogrossinequalitybetweenserviceandreward。
Therearemanymento-day，menofintegrityandintelligence，whohonestlybelievethatwemustgobacktothelaborconditionsofhalfacenturyago。Theyareopposedtotradeunions，rootandbranch。Theynotetheunworthyconductofmanylaborleaders，theyfindinstancesofbadworkbyunionmen，ofavoluntaryrestrictionofoutput，ofvexationsandviolentstrikes，ofjurisdictionaldisputesbetweenunionswhichoftendisastrouslyinvolvethebestintentionedandfairestofemployers。Allthesethingsoccurandshouldberepressed。
Butthesamecriticofthetradeunionmightfindequalcausesofcomplaintagainstindividualemployersoflabor，orevenagainstgreatassociationsofmanufacturers。Hemightfindmanyinstancesofanunwarrantedcuttingofwages，offlagrantviolationsoffactorylawsandtenementhouselaws，ofthedeliberateandsystematiccheatingofemployeesbymeansoftruckstores，ofthespeedingupofworktoapointwhichisfataltothehealthoftheworkman，ofthesweatingofforeign-bornworkers，ofthedraftingoffeeblelittlechildrenintodustyworkshops，ofblack-listing，ofputtingspiesintounionmeetingsandoftheemploymentinstriketimesofviciousanddesperateruffians，whoareneitherbetternorworsethanarethethugswhoareoccasionallyemployedbyunionsunderthesinistername，“entertainmentcommittees。”Ibelievethattheoverwhelmingmajority，bothofworkmenandofemployers，arelaw-abidingpeaceful，andhonorablecitizens，andIdonotthinkthatitisjusttolayuptheerrorsandwrongsofindividualstotheentiregrouptowhichtheybelong。Ialsothink——andthisisabeliefwhichhasbeenborneuponmethroughmanyyearsofpracticalexperience——thatthetradeunionisgrowingconstantlyinwisdomaswellasinpower，andisbecomingoneofthemostefficientagenciestowardthesolutionofourindustrialproblems，theeliminationofpovertyandofindustrialdiseaseandaccidents，thelesseningofunemployment，theachievementofindustrialdemocracyandtheattainmentofalargermeasureofsocialandindustrialjustice。
IfIwereafactoryemployee，aworkmanontherailroadsorawage-
earnerofanysort，Iwouldundoubtedlyjointheunionofmytrade。IfIdisapprovedofitspolicy，Iwouldjoininordertofightthatpolicy；iftheunionleadersweredishonest，Iwouldjoininordertoputthemout。IbelieveintheunionandIbelievethatallmenwhoarebenefitedbytheunionaremorallyboundtohelptotheextentoftheirpowerinthecommoninterestsadvancedbytheunion。
Nevertheless，irrespectiveofwhetheramanshouldorshouldnot，anddoesordoesnot，jointheunionofhistrade，alltherights，privilegesandimmunitiesofthatmanasanAmericanandasacitizenshouldbesafeguardedandupheldbythelaw。Wedarenotmakeanoutlawofanyindividualoranygroup，whateverhisoritsopinionsorprofessions。Thenon-unionist，liketheunionist，mustbeprotectedinallhislegalrightsbythefullweightandpowerofthelaw。
Thisquestioncameupbeforemeintheshapeoftherightofanon-
unionprinternamedMillertoholdhispositionintheGovernmentPrintingOffice。AsIsaidbefore，Ibelieveintradeunions。Ialwaysprefertoseeaunionshop。Butanyprivatepreferencescannotcontrolmypublicactions。TheGovernmentcanrecognizeneitherunionmennornon-unionmenassuch，andisboundtotreatbothexactlyalike。IntheGovernmentPrintingOfficenotmanymonthspriortotheopeningofthePresidentialcampaignof1904，whenIwasupforreelection，I
discoveredthatamanhadbeendismissedbecausehedidnotbelongtotheunion。Ireinstatedhim。Mr。Gompers，thePresidentoftheAmericanFederationofLabor，withvariousmembersoftheexecutivecouncilofthatbody，calleduponmetoprotestonSeptember29，1903，andIansweredthemasfollows：
“Ithankyouandyourcommitteeforyourcourtesy，andIappreciatetheopportunitytomeetwithyou。ItwillalwaysbeapleasuretoseeyouoranyrepresentativeofyourorganizationsorofyourFederationasawhole。
“AsregardstheMillercase，IhavelittletoaddtowhatIhavealreadysaid。IndealingwithitIaskyoutorememberthatIamdealingpurelywiththerelationoftheGovernmenttoitsemployees。I
mustgovernmyactionbythelawsoftheland，whichIamsworntoadminister，andwhichdifferentiateanycaseinwhichtheGovernmentoftheUnitedStatesisapartyfromallothercaseswhatsoever。Theselawsareenactedforthebenefitofthewholepeople，andcannotandmustnotbeconstruedaspermittingthecriminationagainstsomeofthepeople。IamPresidentofallthepeopleoftheUnitedStates，withoutregardtocreed，color，birthplace，occupationorsocialcondition。Myaimistodoequalandexactjusticeasamongthemall。
IntheemploymentanddismissalofmenintheGovernmentserviceIcannomorerecognizethefactthatamandoesordoesnotbelongtoaunionasbeingfororagainsthimthanIcanrecognizethefactthatheisaProtestantoraCatholic，aJeworaGentile，asbeingfororagainsthim。
“InthecommunicationssentmebyvariouslabororganizationsprotestingagainsttheretentionofMillerintheGovernmentPrintingOffice，thegroundsallegedaretwofold：1，thatheisanon-unionman；2，thatheisnotpersonallyfit。Thequestionofhispersonalfitnessisonetobesettledintheroutineofadministrativedetail，andcannotbeallowedtoconflictwithortocomplicatethelargerquestionofgovernmentaldiscriminationfororagainsthimoranyothermanbecauseheisorisnotamemberofaunion。Thisistheonlyquestionnowbeforemefordecision；andastothismydecisionisfinal。”
BecauseofthingsIhavedoneonbehalfofjusticetotheworkingman，IhaveoftenbeencalledaSocialist。UsuallyIhavenottakenthetroubleeventonoticetheepithet。Iamnotafraidofnames，andIamnotoneofthosewhofeartodowhatisrightbecausesomeoneelsewillconfoundmewithpartisanswithwhoseprinciplesIamnotinaccord。Moreover，IknowthatmanyAmericanSocialistsarehigh-mindedandhonorablecitizens，whoinrealityaremerelyradicalsocialreformers。Theyareoppressedbythebrutalitiesandindustrialinjusticeswhichweseeeverywhereaboutus。WhenIrecallhowoftenI
haveseenSocialistsandardentnon-Socialistsworkingsidebysideforsomespecificmeasureofsocialorindustrialreform，andhowI
havefoundopposedtothemonthesideofprivilegemanyshrillreactionarieswhoinsistoncallingallreformersSocialists，Irefusetobepanic-strickenbyhavingthistitlemistakenlyappliedtome。
Nonetheless，withoutimpugningtheirmotives，IdodisagreemostemphaticallywithboththefundamentalphilosophyandtheproposedremediesoftheMarxianSocialists。TheseSocialistsareunalterablyopposedtoourwholeindustrialsystem。Theybelievethatthepaymentofwagesmeanseverywhereandinevitablyanexploitationofthelaborerbytheemployer，andthatthisleadsinevitablytoaclasswarbetweenthosetwogroups，or，astheywouldsay，betweenthecapitalistsandtheproletariat。Theyassertthatthisclasswarisalreadyuponusandcanonlybeendedwhencapitalismisentirelydestroyedandallthemachines，mills，mines，railroadsandotherprivatepropertyusedinproductionareconfiscated，expropriatedortakenoverbytheworkers。Theydonotasaruleclaim——althoughsomeofthesinisterextremistsamongthemdo——thatthereisandmustbeacontinualstrugglebetweentwogreatclasses，whoseinterestsareopposedandcannotbereconciled。Inthiswartheyinsistthatthewholegovernment——National，Stateandlocal——isonthesideoftheemployersandisusedbythemagainsttheworkmen，andthatourlawandevenourcommonmoralityareclassweapons，likeapoliceman’scluboraGatlinggun。
Ihaveneverbelieved，anddonotto-daybelieve，thatsuchaclasswarisuponus，orneedeverbeuponus；nordoIbelievethattheinterestsofwage-earnersandemployerscannotbeharmonized，compromisedandadjusted。Itwouldbeidletodenythatwage-earnershavecertaindifferenteconomicinterestsfrom，letussay，manufacturersorimporters，justasfarmershavedifferentinterestsfromsailors，andfishermenfrombankers。Thereisnoreasonwhyanyoftheseeconomicgroupsshouldnotconsulttheirgroupinterestsbyanylegitimatemeansandwithdueregardtothecommon，overlyinginterestsofall。Idonotevendenythatthemajorityofwage-
earners，becausetheyhavelesspropertyandlessindustrialsecuritythanothersandbecausetheydonotownthemachinerywithwhichtheyworkasdoesthefarmerareperhapsingreaterneedofactingtogetherthanareothergroupsinthecommunity。ButIdoinsistandIbelievethatthegreatmajorityofwage-earnerstakethesameview
thatemployersandemployeeshaveoverwhelminginterestsincommon，bothaspartnersinindustryandascitizensoftherepublic，andthatwheretheseinterestsareaparttheycanbeadjustedbysoalteringourlawsandtheirinterpretationastosecuretoallmembersofthecommunitysocialandindustrialjustice。
Ihavealwaysmaintainedthatourworstrevolutionariesto-dayarethosereactionarieswhodonotseeandwillnotadmitthatthereisanyneedforchange。SuchmenseemtobelievethatthefourandahalfmillionProgressivevoters，whoin1912registeredtheirsolemnprotestagainstoursocialandindustrialinjustices，are“anarchists。”whoarenotwillingtoletillenoughalone。Ifthesereactionarieshadlivedatanearliertimeinourhistory，theywouldhaveadvocatedSeditionLaws，opposedfreespeechandfreeassembly，andvotedagainstfreeschools，freeaccessbysettlerstothepubliclands，mechanics’lienlaws，theprohibitionoftruckstoresandtheabolitionofimprisonmentfordebt；andtheyarethemenwhoto-dayopposeminimumwagelaws，insuranceofworkmenagainsttheillsofindustriallifeandthereformofourlegislatorsandourcourts，whichcanalonerendersuchmeasurespossible。Someofthesereactionariesarenotbadmen，butmerelyshortsightedandbelated。Itisthesereactionaries，however，who，by“standingpat“onindustrialinjustice，inciteinevitablytoindustrialrevolt，anditisonlywewhoadvocatepoliticalandindustrialdemocracywhorenderpossibletheprogressofourAmericanindustryonlargeconstructivelineswithaminimumoffrictionbecausewithamaximumofjustice。
Everythingpossibleshouldbedonetosecurethewage-workersfairtreatment。Thereshouldbeanincreasedwagefortheworkerofincreasedproductiveness。Everythingpossibleshouldbedoneagainstthecapitalistwhostrives，nottorewardspecialefficiency，buttouseitasanexcuseforreducingtherewardofmoderateefficiency。
Thecapitalistisanunworthycitizenwhopaystheefficientmannomorethanhehasbeencontenttopaytheaverageman，andneverthelessreducesthewageoftheaverageman；andeffortshouldbemadebytheGovernmenttocheckandpunishhim。Whenlabor-savingmachineryisintroduced，specialcareshouldbetaken——bytheGovernmentifnecessary——toseethatthewage-workergetshisshareofthebenefit，andthatitisnotallabsorbedbytheemployerorcapitalist。Thefollowingcase，whichhascometomyknowledge，illustrateswhatI