TRADE UNIONS. 327 
in this manner, the employer would be able at any time to dislocate the 
activities of the union by withdrawing his assistance. Further, the 
vigour of the trade union officials would be constantly sapped by the 
knowledge that their income and the means for their activities were 
dependent on the employers’ goodwill. 
Self-reliance. 
Although we have stressed the influence which employers can 
exercise over the future of the movement, we should be doing a disservice 
to it if we encouraged any trade unionists to suppose that its development 
depended upon the actions of employers rather than upon their own. 
There is already a lack of self-reliance and a tendency to wait too much 
upon the employers’ attitude. No amount of encouragement from employ- 
ers or of assistance from the State can infuse life into unions which have 
nothing vital in themselves ; true vigour can only come from within. 
In those countries where the movement is strong, it owes that strength 
mainly to its own efforts, and perhaps more to the opposition it has con- 
fronted than to the support it has received from employers. One of the 
first needs, therefore, is the training of the members themselves. There 
is too great a tendency to allow the members to remain passive supporters 
of the union instead of making them an active force. We recognise 
the difficulties of the position. The dilemma which faces many trade 
anion leaders resembles that which confronted a number of officials 
in the early days of local self-government. Presented with the 
alternatives of aiming at executive efficiency by undertaking most of 
the work themselves and of educating their members by giving them 
responsibility and letting them make mistakes, most of the leaders 
have chosen the former course. Labour is weak, leaders are few, and 
the training of members in trade unionism must in many cases involve 
a diminution, for the time being, in the effectiveness of a union to protect 
its members. But the movement cannot prosper if it is allowed to 
depend almost entirely on a stimulus from the top ; there must be an 
internal collective will. This can be developed in various ways, all of which 
require time and patience. Efforts should be made to give as many mem- 
bers as possible some share in the work. Meetings should be frequent, 
even if they are small ; regular branch meetings are of more value than the 
infrequent mass meeting, which has little permanent effect. 
Multiplication of Activities. 
Most unions are at present hampered by having too limited a 
scope and too few activities. There is a disposition to regard a union 
as a mere agency for securing benefits from employers, and to overlook the 
valuable work that can be done in the way of mutual help. A widening 
of the sphere of activity is most desirable, both because much is left 
undone that trade unions can do and because it will strengthen the 
movement to find, and even to create activities in which the members 
can participate. The selection of fresh activities must depend on local 
circumstances and will vary from province to province and from indus- 
try to industry. We do not presume. therefore. to offer stereotyped