The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-06-24
THE POWER TO STRIKE.
The Wise Action of the Interna'
tiOnal Typographical Union.


The recent action at the convention
of printers, at Kansas City, is one
which will be recognized by all fair
minded workingmen, the country over,
"a wise and we'll timed. In comment
ing on the policy adopted. the Kansas
City Times truthfully remarks: "The
international Typographical Union
adopted wise policy when it took
away from subordinate unions the
power to inaugurate strikes without the
consent of the executive council. 1t is
a move which all labor organizations
would do well to follow. The most
disastrous strikes on record have re-
suited from hasty and ill-advised &C
ton. In the heat of controversy en-
ployers and employees are likely to get
stubborn, say things on the spur of the
moment which they would not have
said after mature deiiberatlon, and b.
fore either party has made calm and
deliberate attempt to adjust their differ
ences the strike is Oh, the striker and
his family suffer, and the employer is
crippled in his business.
The plan adopted by the union ought,
to large extent, to prevent i'll judged
strikes. In case Of trouble which is
| likely to result in strike, the president
| is notified, and it is his duty to 60 at
once to the scene and endeavor to ad-
Just the difficulty. If he is unsuccess-
full he reports all the circumstances in
the case to the executive council, and a
| maj ority of the members may order a
strike. The advantages of this plan are
| Obvious. In the first case it secures the
| services of an umpire, who, while nat
| urally partial to the men, is removed
from the influence of their local preju-
| dices and is able to view their griev-
ances in a more judicial manner than
| they possibly could. He is enabled to
| see where their excitement may have
| carried them too far, and to suggest
| compromises which may not have oc-
Cured TO them. If his suggestions and
| services are unavailing, the cold facts
| are laid before the executive council
| and passed upon, uninhuenced by Local
considerations and prejudices. After al
| the circumstances have been sifted by
| the president and the executive cOun-
Gil the chances are that fair conclu,
sion will be reached. In any event the
time that is necessarily consumed in TIT
| Investigation is sure check on the no
heads, who are always the dangerou
element, and who are the cause of niEe
tenths of the trouble between employer
and employees.
The plan is q wise and equitabl
one from another point of view. Whel
a strike occurs every striker is main
tanned at the expense of the order
which, of course, is supported by tn
working individual members. II i
right that before the order is callet
upon to pay the money of the mem
bers to support the men out of work
should be acquainted with the facts
The men who pay the money ought t,
know what it is being paid for. The,
ought to be the ones, through thei
representatives to determine whethe
they are justified in deprivin
| themselves for the benefit of others
The plan is based on arbitration
the great remedy, little one sided,
is true, but still arbitration. If ever,
labor organization in the United State
would follow the example of the Inter
national Union and place the power t
order strikes beyond the reach of tn
hotspurs who are perpetually carryiD
chip on their shoulder, it would resul
in good for all concerned"
The session of the Internationa
Union has been conducted with tn
dignity, decorum and intelligence whic
was to have been expected, and tn
Times congratufates the delegates o
their good work"