Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-20
THE AVOIDANCE OF STRIKES.

THE AVOIDANCE OF STRIKES.
The New York Commercial Bulletin has
been giving its attention to the laudable ef-
fort to find way OF settling labor disputes
without strikes or lockouts. In studying
the subject for that praiseworthy purpose, it
reaches the conclusion that the first step is
to secure a better representation of both
sides. 1t thinks that the labor unions give
too much power to the rash and headstrong,
with the result that "the government of the
unions is too autocratic and not sufficiently
representative. Its remedy, therefore, is to
establish council in each union ''of not
less than dozen members, selected for their
ability and steadiness OF judgment, to whom
should be intrusted the regulation Of all
matters touching the relations between the
union and employers" also council Of
employers possessing like qualifications,
these bodies to meet in cases where differ
ences arise, not so much to fight as to nego-
tiate and conciliate, the joint deliberations
of these bodies to be made public. The
Bulletin thinks that such conference would
be more dispassionate, moderate and sue
cessful in avoiding conflict than the present
methods of adjusting disputes.
Whether this change is urged as one to be
made spontaneously by employers and en-
ployed, or as a method which is to receive
the sanction and support of law, is not quite
clear. In the first case, it simply amounts
to saying what The DISPATCH has always
urged as a ruling principle in labor matters,
that conference and compromise are better
than conflict If any legislation to establish
this end is proposed, it would add nothing
of material importance to the present
methods of settling wage disputes.
The fact is, that stronger inducements than
any legislation can furnish already exist for
both sides in wage disputes to appoint con-
servative and fair representatives, for the
settlement of the pending question by reason
and not by force. Every thinking working
man knows that an unnecessary strike is a
terrible loss to labor. Every reasonable
employer knows that the idleness of his
machinery and stoppage of his business is
dead loss to him. With these existing in
ducements to conservatism and fairness, we
may be sure that the present representation
of both sides will have those qualities just
as much as they would under any formal
adoption of the new organization. When
wages on one side and profits on the other
depend on fair settlement of disputes, it
is not likely that any formal or legislative
prescription of ability and steadiness of
Judgment would secure those qualities, In
the representatives, to be chosen by the
workingmen, more than at present.
The partial view of the subject taken in
this case is disclosed by the assertion that
the government of the labor unions is not
sufficiently REPRESENTATIVE. It is the fact
that the union leaders are, as rule, COM
pletely representative. The danger of autoc-
racy is most imminent in its exhibition on
the part of the employer toward the men.
1t is not necessary that the autocratic dispo-
sition should be manifested in overt acts.
When an employer is able to say, ''Take
my wages or 60 without work, the labor
unions are apt to put considerable power in
the hands of their leaders, as naturally as
the insurgents against military absolutism
would put themselves under the leadership
of military chief. When the scant wages
or unchecked power of the employers has
brought labor to desperate pass, the power
of the leader who can organize labor
movement is likely to be correspondIngly
though temporarily absolute. The strike OF
the cloakmakers in New York developed
some grotesque examples of this absolute
leadership; but both the wretched pay Of
these workers and the fact that they secured
something by their strike prove that their
blind adhesion to their autocratic leaders
was not entirely without reason.
Yet the characteristic features of the Bull
letin's plan, in aiming at reasonable and
representative conference and fair considera-
ton of both sides of the subject, is shown
by experience to contain the groundwork for
the reasonable settlement of all labor dis
putes. Wherever employers and employed
have learned enough mutual self-respect
and forebearance to unite in securing con-
ferences for that purpose, they have proved
in the majority of cases to be eficaoious in
securing asettlement 1t is by practically this
plan that the Amaigamated Association and
the iron manufacturers have settled the
wages scales annually without any serious
strike for many years. It has been by aim
ing at the same purpose of fair conference
and mutual consideration that every wages
question in the Pittsburg industries has been
settled for the past two years without
serious strike. The Bulletin is right in
urging that employers and laborers shall
unite in the sincere effort to make iair
compromise. When they do that uniyer-