The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-05-12
Their Places

What right have strikers to the
places they have vacated ? Here is
touched the root Of niae-tenths OF
the difficulty between employers
and employed. Questions Of wages
and rules can be arbitrated. But
the claim often made by men on
a strike that the places vacated still
belong to them. and cannot Justly
be filled by anybody else, and must
be restored to them as a body before
there can be any settlement, is one
which never can be arbitrated. In
the nature Of things there is nothing
to arbitrate. If this claim of such
worker. has any foundation at all
10 owner has any control over his
property, nor have unemployed la
borers any rights as freemen.
When men cease to work they ex-
ercise an indisputable right as citi-
zens. But they do so at their own
risk They vacate certain positions,
which 1t becomes not only the right
but the duty Of employers to fill at
once, if they can. Public interest
requires that work shall not be in
terrupted. If persons can be found
to do the work, it is duty to employ
them. 1t would always be impos-
sible to fill places under such cir
cumstaaces if employers could not
promise permanent engagements.
Hence it is indispensable to public
interest, and IN essential part of the
ownership OF property and the right
to manage it ut all, that an employ
er should be entirely free to hire a
free workman instead of any man
who vacates a place. : 1t is no longer
''his place" By his own act be has
deliberately put from him all claim
whatever to it. From that instant
he has exactly the same night to be
employed in that place that any
other unemployed worker has, and
not bit more
If men comprehended this fact
they would not so often be guilty of
injustice and cruelty to other work
ers who fill places voluntarily vaca-
ted But there IS a strange idea
prevalent among workingmen that
they can vacate a place and still re-
tain it. They seem to fancy that they
can refuse to he employed, and yet
retain a right to play dog in the
manger, and require that no one
else shall be employed in their
stead. Nothing can be more unres-
sonabie or more unjust TO all unem-
ployed laborers. Strikers who as
sert this thing are simply putting
their hands on what does not belong
to them. These same men would
not stoop to claim as their own an
other mans watch or tools. But
after forsaking a place and refusing
20 fill it they assert that another free
workingman who offers 70 fill it has
no right to do so. That is wrong
fully claiming a part of his proper
~. u kItS L1A-tahCA 1btAOAA - a.
the bottom Of most of the acts of
violence with which strikes are dis
graced, and of most of the difficulties
in adjusting strikes-
The rules of common sense suffi- /
ces for this case. De who refuses to
fill place knows that an employer I.
has from that instant 4 right to fill .
il if he can, and that an employers /
first duty will then be to stand by 4
those who come forward tp do the 1
work. This is the radical error of
the strike as mode Of adjusting Ia
Dor difficulties. The men abandon !
places ard stop work, instead OF /
submitting their claims to arbitra-
ton and continuing to I'll their
places and do their duty meanwhile. /
As long as men choose 20 strike in
stead of arbitrating they make it the
first duty Of employers to protect
and defend the workingmen who
are willing to fill the places vacated.
N. Y. Tribune.