Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 10.djvu/759

 POPULAR INITIATIVE 743

Inasmuch as organized labor is a unit for direct legislation in this country, justifying its faith largely on the operation of the system in conducting the affairs of trades unions, it is desired to address to its members some interesting evidence for their especial consideration. What the actual results of the employment of the initiative in the conduct of labor organizations in America have been will not be discussed, for, so far as the writer knows, no history of such experiments has been written. But a complete, authoritative history of its use by similar bodies in England the birth-land of modern trades-unionism has been written. It is contained in the first two chapters of Industrial Democracy, by S. and M. Webb, authors also of A History of Trades Unions, The Eight-Hour Day, etc. There are in England no deeper stu- dents nor abler and more authoritative writers, on the subjects named. Their researches have been long and laborious, and this, together with their intimate personal association with industrial affairs, has made their works standards wherever they are known.

It is shown that in the early period of unionism in England it was the custom to submit questions, not only of policy, but of administration as well, to " the voices," that is, to the viva voce vote of the assembled members. This was adapted only to small organizations and simple purposes.

As the delegate system came to be established, the delegate, or committee man, was regarded merely as a vehicle by which the voices could be conveyed. His task required no special qualification beyond intelligence to comprehend his instructions and a spirit of obedience in carrying them out.

For many years the unions labored under this ineffective policy a policy which became less effective as the unions expanded, because, as our authors observe,

the ordinary trade-unionist, unversed in the technicalities of administration, is unable to judge by what particular expedient his grievance can best be remedied. The ordinary citizen thinks of nothing but clear issues on broad lines. The representative, on the other hand, finds himself constantly called upon to choose between the nicely balanced expediences of compromise neces- sitated by the complicated facts of practical life.

To conduct the business of a great trade union requires execur tive ability. For more than a hundred years this fact was hardly recognized by the unionists. They held that an average one of