The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1893-03-24
A New Question in Labor Troub les.

A New Question In Labor Troubles.
A series Of questions that are entirely new
to the adjudication of the federal courts an,
quence, are opened up from the strike Of tn
engineers and firemen on the Toledo, AM
Arbor aud North Michigan railroad. Thu
Brotherhood engineers and fremen on othe
roads sought to aid the strike by refusing tt
operate trains which included Ann Arbor car
or freight. As the road has but one station
In Ohio, that ut Toledo, all its business there
IL In the nsture of interstate commerce, ant
came therefore under jurisdiction of The
United States courts. Judge Taft Of the U
s. circuit court Issued an order Friday enjoin
ing the Brotherhoods from continuing these
orders of boycott. Chief Arthur of the loco
motive brotherhood has promptly announced
that that order will obey and the orders have
been resclnded but that night several of the
engineers and firemen employed on the Lake
Shore road threw up their positions and left
the service of the road rather than haul To
Q 10 and Ann Arbor cars. Thereupon Judge
Kicks of the district court, Fastening to the
tempt. Bringing them before him, he said:
You can't always choose your own time
and place FIR terminating the relations. II
you were permitted to do so you might quilt
your work at q time aud place under clrcum
stances which would involve irreparable dam
age to your employer and leopard the lives of
the travelling public. Your employers owe
high duty to the public which they are COM
PEELED to perform under service penalty, and
they have in turn a higher claim upon you
and your service than that due from the or
binary employe.
The amount of this, In connection with
Judge Taft's order,is that railroad employers
cannot strike or leave their employment with.
out due notice. Such a contention as this ap.
pears in the reports of the New York state
board of mediation and arbitration, but 1t
hes never before taken the form of courts
ruling. There Is certainly reasonableness
to the argument; but where is 1t to end? If
the doctrine is upheld by the Federal supreme
court, before which 1t will doubtless go, 1t
will be a death-blow to strikes on railroads
at least. What chance does this leave labor
10 defend itself against the eXactions of the
great corporations In the way of overwork |
)r urderpay? Is there any but socialism
and government ownership of railways?
some of the EXTREMIST of the labor leaders
Welcome the issue with joy on this very
ground. Mr.. Powderly says, cit will teach
he brotherhood men that trades-unionism
an give them no protection, and that their
nly hope is to join with the socialists and
'opulists in bringing railroads into control of
he government Alexander Jonas, the
sader of the socialist labor party In New
york, halls 1t as direct step In the evolution
oward socialism. DR.. L. B. Tuckerman of
cleveland, leader In the organizatlo there,
ne same ground.
Gen. Wager Swayne OF New York suggests
ne mitigation, by requiring employment In
lch quas-public service to be made on time
This would serve to protect both o
len and the corporations and public. No &
ne could then be compelled to work mir {
te against his will but action for damages +
ould lie against either party in case the con- d
act were broken. But 1t Is obvious that q
zen this would leave the laborer at great y
sadvantage In dealing with corporations Of +
extent. Il
This truth has melancholy Illustration In n
lie shameful fact In the case. Judge Kicks !,
me to Toledo, at the call of the counsel for Il
C company, on special train provided by
e Lake Shore road, and when he reached
ere read off his previously prepared order }
ithout first giving the defendant workmen =,
lance to be heard. |,
The workman must give notice when he q
Its. Must the corporation on the other ..
nd give notice If 1t wants to discharge h
m? There Is no direct public interest that b
n require it to do so, but to relieve 1t from 3
CHI reciprocal obligation would involve NJ
ave injustice, In favor of the powerful and
ainst the weak. =,
Where is the just and the adequate saliva cl
N of problems like these? oil