The privilege of collective organization
My voice tonight will be the voice of millions of men and women employed
in America's industries, economically exploited and inarticulate . . .
who heretofore have been denied by industry and finance the privilege of
collective organization and collective participation in the arbitrary
fixation of their economic status. . . . Let him who will, be he
economic tyrant or sordid mercenary, pit his strength against this
mighty upsurge of human sentiment . . . for the establishment of . . .
economic freedom and industrial democracy.
The issue involves the security of every man or woman who works for a living by hand or by brain. The issue cuts across every major economic, social and political problem now pressing with incalculable weight upon the 130 millions of people in this nation.
It is an issue of whether the working population of this country shall have a voice in determining their own destiny or . . . shall serve as indentured servants for a financial and economic dictatorship which would shamelessly exploit our natural resources and debase the soul and destroy the pride of a free people.
On such an issue there can be no compromise for labor or for a thoughtful citizenship.
I call upon the workers in the iron and steel industry who are listening to me tonight to throw off their shackles of servitude and join our union of their industry.
I call upon the workers in the textile, lumber, rubber, automotive and other unorganized industries to join with their comrades in the steel industry and . . . establish yourselves as free men and women in every economic, social, and political sense
John L. Lewis 1936-Post Wagner Act (1935)
The issue involves the security of every man or woman who works for a living by hand or by brain. The issue cuts across every major economic, social and political problem now pressing with incalculable weight upon the 130 millions of people in this nation.
It is an issue of whether the working population of this country shall have a voice in determining their own destiny or . . . shall serve as indentured servants for a financial and economic dictatorship which would shamelessly exploit our natural resources and debase the soul and destroy the pride of a free people.
On such an issue there can be no compromise for labor or for a thoughtful citizenship.
I call upon the workers in the iron and steel industry who are listening to me tonight to throw off their shackles of servitude and join our union of their industry.
I call upon the workers in the textile, lumber, rubber, automotive and other unorganized industries to join with their comrades in the steel industry and . . . establish yourselves as free men and women in every economic, social, and political sense
John L. Lewis 1936-Post Wagner Act (1935)
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