New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-03-30
STRIKES And THEIR FRUIE

That is a new departure indeed which Mr..
Powderly makes, in appealing directly to the
silent and conservative majority Of the Knights
of Labor as he does. against the misleading
guidance of noisy and hot-headed minority.
HIS position is that strikes are wasteful and
suicidal, that the principles of his order forbid
them, except on certain conditions which arc
habitualIy disregarded. that the power of the
head of the order to discipline members or
Il cal leaders for beginning strikes in violation
Of its rules has been limited by the uncertain
support given by local organizations. that the
majority of members are or may be deprived
Of a voice by the virtual dictation of local
leaders and the more turbulent members, and
that he therefore calls upon each member of
the entire organization to answer whether the
executive will be sustained in putting down
the disregard of its principles or not. If sIs-
tanned, the order will spend in educating the
workers the 100000 which it O. sunk last year
in the maelstrom of strikes" But he declares
ali the practice of rushing into reckless strikes
Is TO continue. I would rather stop at once"
Mr.. Powdery's appeal is based upon ex-
rerence which he declares, demonstrates
that the order will not support strikes" a
few individuals have power to rush through a
meeting decision to strike But they have
not power to compel the conservative and silent
majority to tax themselves in supporting pro-
oeedings contrary to the principles Of their
organization Mr.. Powderly says:
The straight path is the best In the end. Tho
local bully loud mouthed enthusiast may succeed
in creating q sentiment for time against the man
who refuses TO yield. But. when men find that prom
ises are not kept theg have greater cause for anger
than they told what to expect in the beginning
Ills utteranoes on this subject are not new
for he says, "At Minneapolis | said that my
vote would never again 90 to sustain strike
unless the laws Of Knighthood were lived up to
In inaugurating it. intend to keep my word"
Holding the resort TO strikes suicidal and fatal
to the best interests OF workingmen, Mr. Pow
derly's declaration is logically consistent he
would rather "stop at once" abandon the
leadership. and leave those who believe in the
practice to run the organization to its ruin.
This candid appeal is not likely to have the
effect which Mr.. Powderly anticipates. He
looks for definite decision. one way or the
other. and is not likely to get one. By thou
sand devices the local leaders who believe IN
strikes, who are already engaged in or plan
nue strikes who have made frequent strikes
their means OF keeping their hold upon tho
organization. and OF getting money 10 be
secretly expended. can evade direct answer
by the individual members Of the questions
which Mr.. Powdcrly submits He will find that
IN a great number OF cases IL will be evaded
simply because the local leaders in the orean-
zation do not believe IN its principles, or hav,
other motives than 10 serve its true interests
But the appeal win nevertheless do much good.
because II will force the more sensible men,
bers to consider the ruinous tendency OF the
course into which the organization is continu
ally pushed. by "the local bully or loud
mouthed enthusiast or not rarely by men
who live on the cause of labor. and Gil their