Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-11
THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR STRUGGLE,

The success of organized labor in Aus
tralia of late years has been one of the most
marked phenomena Of the worldwide move
ment in behalf of the wage-working class.
This fact makes the recent defeat inflicted
on the unions-which, however, accounts
from that distant continent may tinge with
prejudice-a matter of decided significance
and instruction.
Up to the late strike the success of the
labor unions was decidedly benef cial to the
working classes, and in this is to be found
undoubtedly the secret at once Of their
power, and the belief that they could force
the adoption of even more radical measures.
They had placed an eight-hour law on the
statute book, and, besides succeeding in its
general enforcement, had cut down the
hours of skilled labor in certain branches
to forty-fve per week. They had obtained
the reform which is known in this country
as the Australian ballot system. They had
secured the establishment of government
railways operated FOR the ayowed purpose
of giving transportation to the masses at
the lowest possible rates. In New South
Wales the railways must carry school chill
dreu free of charge; in Victoria the street
railways become the property of the cities
after term of years. Finally the wages
throughout Australia are double those in
England for much longer hours, although
how much of this is due to the fact that
new country always pays higher wages than
an old one, and how much to the work of the
labor unions. is a question for individual
judgment.
1t was not strange. perhaps, that when
labor leaders had accomplished these things
they should, according to the reports, have
undertaken to assert a more radical princi-
pie and yet one which is common to labor
organization all over the world. The state
ment is that the federation OF labor for all
the Australian colonies undertook to assert
that no man who did not belong to labor or
ganizations should receive employment.
Employers were directed to order their en-
ployes to join labor unions, and in case of
refusal, the attempt to boycott was carried
to the extent of threatening a refusal of rail-
way employees to carry the goods of the boy
cotted firms. The struggle soon led to a
and several ether trades. But, however the
reports of this struggle may be colored from
the employers side of the question, there
seems to be little doubt that public opinion
was against these sweeping demands, and
the result has been defeat for the unions.
Such an outcome of this struggle illus
trates several important principles. In the
he aT &ha
amelioratlon of the conditions of labor is
made most enduring by being conservative
and gradual. This principle has often been
illustrated in our country; but the repetition
of the lesson in Australia is instructive. II
it is necessary that all workingmen shall
belong to unions, their adhesion is to be Sc
cured by persuasion and education, and not
by force, A forced membership is source
of weakness, and is in addition an infringe
ment upon individual rights which weakens
the cause by its incongruity to the main
purpose. The boycott is here shown to be
without its power except it is supported by
an overwhelming public opinion created by
the presence of some great wrong; and the
lesson is repeated that the strike is a spe-
cious of industrial warfare only to be used
as last resort in defense against clear in
| Justice, and not even then unless there is a
fair chance of success. In Australia the
chances of success seemed good, but the fact
that it was an aggressive and not a de-
| fensive strike appears to have arrayed pub
lie opinion against it and brought about its
| disastrous failure.
Like some recent labor events in this
country, the Australian struggle shows the
necessity of cautious, careful management
and a fair respect for the necessities and cir
cumstanees of employers. That the Aus
tralian strike gained nothing for labor is
practically conceded; but what it has lost
besides the actual loss in wages remains for
the future to show. That employers will be
found there as here to take advantage of the
defeat and to try to encroach upon what has
been previously established in the interest
of workers, is more than likely. The lesson
is forcible one, that where labor organiza-
tion has gained advantages for working
men, the first care of its leaders should be to
make that advance permanent, and to be
very cautious about risking it in a struggle
to enforce radical and even questionable
demands. Beyond a certain point, which we
may regard the Australian unions and most
of those In this city to have reached, the
greatest work of labor leaders is in public