The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-09-02 00:00:00

Ckt gitourkribgt Obstrinr.

SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER 2, 1871.

A WARNING TO WORKING KEN.

We commend the following paragraph to the
attention of all whom it may concern, and the
camber of those whom it really concerns is
probably far greater than may appear at first
sight:—" The engineers strike at Newcastle
does not decrease in bitterness. Nearly two
hundred Belgian and German workmen arrived
at that town on Friday morning by the Antwerp
and Hamburg boats. They were conveyed with.
oat any disturbance to the different works. Ar-
rangements have been made for the conveyance
of the same number each week from those ports,
so that the places of the men on strike will be
speedily filled." Now, we have not the least in-
tention of entering on the merits of the points
in dispute in the engineering trade of New-
castle ; bat we think the above fact suggests
some very important considerations, not in re-
gard to that trade only, but in respect to the
relations of employer and employed throughout
the country.
Whatever may have been the theories of em
ployers or legislators in bygone days, it is now
almost universally admitted that working men
have a perfect right to demand whatever price
for their labour they think proper; that they
have also a p,rfect right to combine to keep tip
prices, and to make rules to guide them in the
conduct of their work, always provided they do
not enforce these rules upon others, or prevent
other workmen—union or non-union man—from
selling their labour at their own price. Coercion
and intimidation amongst workmen are now
more definitely illegal than ever, and to the
credit of working men generally be it said that
they more than ever recognise and act upon this
fact. But what society on principle grants to
working men, society also grants to masters, the
right of combination and united action ; and
the warning to which we refer has sprung from
this. W e write purely in the interest of work.
int; men, and with the best wishes towards that
class on which the welfare of the country mainly
depends, when we say that this warning ought
not to be neglected. What has been done in the
engineering trade can be done in other trades.
The engineers very properly rank themselves
among the higher grades of skilled workmen:
and if Belgian and German engineers can b.
brought over at the rate of some 200 a week, to
fill the places of Englishmen oil strike, it is
hish thou for men in other trades to take wirn -
ing:

On the relative merits of English and foreign
mechanics and artisans much might be said, and
whatever might be adduced would be open to
much counter-statement. But, without entering
at length into the pro and eon of this matter
English workmen themselves will generally ad-
mit that Belgian and German artisans enjoy
some benefits as to art education which are not
common in England ; and that, to say the least,
Belgian and German workmen are quite as
thrifty, as industrious and as sober as the same
elibet in Ibis country. Unhappily for the Eng•
lishman, ha finds that his foreign rival frequently
will work for less money, and masters—who hay.•
noire communication and intercourse with th
Continent than their men have —know this far'
better than our workmen do. And now th
toasters are proving, literally with ii
vengeance. " that knowledge is power." The
step which the Newe istle masters have at last
taken is one of considerable moment, and their
course of action, whatever may be siid about it
hi theory. cannot be opposed I.y force. Masters
h :vs up. 11t to turn over foreign work-
P 0,, a re-rfect right to
C ia, win' worknotti Intlet " grin
end Lear it... It is not now dune for the first
tb.te• and artisans carry
thrip Lp.aur u i• ,valkuts all over the
isur.i—,u • .;j,t. to 1t.1,5.,us

au I itli 8.11 .; ow•, ti; ougiiirering
trAc's in be .1 • f. f.. • . f ):1: aI lY
su iiiiruensc ii f ,1 hibuor on Li
spot, whale it !iii•go of tlo! elogiuo •I
ing work exccut&d j,, ,iiis
Ity foreig ... !Fs. Th.: N • •• irk
Ii •
ire, therefore, inioe I, • .., ~ • ~. .1 •
th,: wily wite,v • II I.C.:11!!;:
motive ; 811,1 Its, lie u it iii, i ci-
ons, and should act Si a worni,,..: bi our owl:
work•ven. l'hut they should nut combine.
they should not strike, we do not ,o.y ; but it will
be well fur them to look uhroml iis well as at
bogie when they are reckoning tim chances if
Mol3ll.letiie tut InlCilti. I. of so
1.1.6uy furtigu slut kuicii foto thi.f colialry, lii Ii t
at all a pleasant subject of thought to the work-
ing mowers. The new-eomen of coarse work

LATEST NEWS.

PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEgRAMS,

(REU7'ER'3 TELEGRAMS)

FOREI(IN NEWS

ITALY.

ROMF:, Friday.

The Ovinione says the statement that the
German and Austrian Governments had com-
municated the result of the interview to the
other Powers, is erroneous.

GERMANY.
BERLIN, Friday.
The Emperor will leave Gastein on the 3rd of
September, for Salzburg and Munich.

GREAT FIRE AT A PETROLEUM
WAREHOUSE.

TRIESTE, Tim%lan.

A fire has occurred at a warehouse outside the
town, in which upwards of 16,000 Nulls of
petroleum were stored.

AMERICA.
NEW YORK, Thursda%

A hurricane and some earthquakes occurred
at St. Thomas, on the 21st August. Not one
house escaped without being damaged, and hun-
dreds are destroyed. 150 persons have been
killed or wounded.