The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-18
LABOR VS.. CAPITAL.
The Old Question To Be Again
Agitated.
What the Present Labor Movement Means-A
Pronunciamsnto from the International
The Present and Prospective Strikers.

| Inc iaDOr question: which mas received new lie
In this city from the recent troubles Of the New
York Gas Company, seems likely to again be the
cause OF considerable agitation. so long as the
strikes are unorganized and the movement not a
60 neral one little will be accomplished. When one
bran>ch OF Industry in certain locality by a
'striko announces itself as the redresser of all
the wronA % from which the aboring classes suffer,
there are always men enough TO be had from other
regions to supply the vacant places. II, for in
stance the maso ms In New York 'strke 1t is only
question of tweilty.four hours to obtain others
from the country towns. II the brass workers
quit work in Brooklyn those In Jersey City will
do just SO many more hours OF extra labor. Thus
1t has been in the past, with very few excep-
tions and as q consequence nearly all efforts In
the way OF strikes have failed. 1t has long been
conceded that this arbitrary means OF bringing
capital to the feet OF labor can only be successfully
exercised by skilled tradesmen-men who have
served apprenticeship which make them the su-
perOrs OF common day labOrers.
1t is evident that there Will eventually grow up
great aoor parry ana tnat hs o W result In
OF most extensive movement there already ex-
list, besides International societies, the Ioowing:-
LABOR ORGANIZATIONS.
cs;gsntsrs ana Joiner; Sssiossi S.sad Loass
Ssia Il
Boiler SsT q
makers Cabinet Makers Carpenters ships Joiners',
pn six cEs sahss &
EGss Hsrs
BOX
Makers and sawyers 9hree Iodges) Painters' siS
Filters Stone Cutters Stone Masons Sugar heaners
holstercrs and the WorEingwomen's Protectye Unions
MASS MEETING CALLED.
The national organization is n0S In any way
openly moving at present, but is strengthening
itself throughout the country. The International,
does not deny that 1t MEANS II necessary, to cali
for the use Of force as last resort 1t asserts that
extremity OF accepting great civil war to Tree the
colOred race. so the Internatonals will not shrink
from the responsibility OF revolution to secure
desperately in earnest. The following circular
will be issued:-
4
To THE orrIcEns AND MEMBERS OF THE vAR,oUs TRADES
e. lice sySs il VIEW n e ss and
hoar III law
r%og ns the
s S J. ssSGss the . e.
ing them with power to cooperate both morally and
9. OSBORNE WARD
GEO BLAIR
VI Tg d q AAssEEscon. Committee
JOHN HALBERT,
I. X. KNIGHT,
j. W. MADDOX.
BY order of Fed Council
THE SITUATION
at present Is rather difficult TO understand. There
appears to be no reason to fear general strike
this Summer unless the employing carpenters are
determined to force their men back to the ten-hour
system. 1t is claimed that this will be the test
question, and should such an action seem probable
general uprising OF labor will take place. The
scenes Of last Summer will be again repeated. 1t
is claimed, however, that on this occasion the
strikes will be so general as to affect every branch
guarantee OF the National Labor Union. All that
the leaders Of the laboring men intend to
do this season is to try, by legally test
ing several cases of the infraction Of the
eight hour statute to quietly establish their rights.
There Is an eight hour statute in existence IN the
State OF New York, but 1t amounts to nothing so
far as the laborng men are concerned. Even the
general law OF the United States was dsregarded
by the contractors OF the new Post Office now erect
ing In City Hall Park, and 1t was not until an ad-
ditonal bill was passed by Congress for the special
relief of these individual wOrkmen that the gov
eminent law became operative.
Should the law fail, the movement will quietly
60 on by perfect1ng the union through the
numerous organizations OF the entire labor element
Of the land Then, 1t is asserted, In the Spring OF
1874 there will be such strike as was never seen
In all the world before. This plan will be worked
out to the bitter end, and the heads of the move
ment seem very confident OF ultimate victory.