The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-11
Reversing the Position.
Boston Herald.

~ impossible for any clear minded person
| 10 understand the reasons which have lad In
the Deiief that general strike of the variops
aoor organizations throughout the country
wiz nave any effect In promoting the cause
tnat the leaders OF the labor organizations
nave In view. In order TO understand the
iorce OF line OF reasoning IL Is frequently n
good method to simply transfer the situation
ana Judge OF 1t from the opposite point of
view. and this, IL seems to us is n method
which those belonging to LABOR organizations
IN this section OF the country should adopt
before committing themselves to any rash
course that would Inevitably involve on their
part loss OF money which they can III afford
TO stand, to say nothing Of other undesirable
results
Let US assume that that the Pullman com.
pany had number of contracts to fulfil. and
knowing this that those in the employ OF tbe
company took advantage OF the opportunity
and insisted that they should be paid three mr.
four times the ordinary rates of pay, and fail
Ing to secure this claim that they struck
thus bidding fair to cause to the Pullman
Company an enormous loss through failure IN
deliver upon time the cars or other supplies
that IL had contraced to produce. Or. II this
isnot enough. take the worst case that can be
supposed from a workingnans point of view,
except that instead of the Pullman Companv
being In the wrong, rs the labor rganizations
now maintain, those employed by TIE Pull
man Company were In the wrong. and, find
ing the company In a tight place, made Ger
tain demands and absolutely refused to leave
the matter out to arbitration.
II would be generally admitted under such |
ClrGumsf n m vi hv nj 80 IL
action Of the wage earners was Thoroughly
unjustinable, and we have no doubt that thew
would be willing out of sympathy to do all |
that they could to give to the Pullman
Company an opportunity to emerge triurn-
phant from the contest. There would be on
'he part Of employers the same degree of sym.
'athy that is now expressed by employees. and
he question would naturally arise, in what
way could the corporations and large indi-
'idual employers of labor bring pressure 10
'ear upon those who had been In tbe
'ullman Company's employ to force
hem to yield. This is precisely the re-
erse of the situation today. and those who
re controlling the labor organizations assume
hat they can bring pressure to bear upon the
'uilman company BY making It exceedingly
unpleasant for the other employers Of labor.
/
eferred TO, would be the effect upon them
similar practices? Suppose that the
arous great employers of labor Ali
yer the country werc under the conditions
e have just referred to-desirous of doing
hat they could to force those who had been
tho employ Of the Pullman COMPANY
ther 10 arbitrate or 20 60 back to their work.
nd that they attempted 10 do so by making
exceedingly unpleasant for all other wage
lrners
IL might be agreed that unless tho men In
c employ Of the Pullman company would
bitrate or 20 bSck 10 work in a. hours time.
e mills. factories and other great indus
Ial institutions would be shut down. !
ID those therein employed would be ,
prived Of a means of earning their 4
'elihood. DO the wage-earners be-
we that the adoption Of such policy would
we any effect on the Pullman employees
. they so ignorant OF human nature
10 suppose that IL the great mills nj ] -
wrcnce. Jewell and Fail River were :
declare n Lockout, IL the West End Al
reet Railway Company OF this city were p
discharge all Of those In its employ. y
) wage-carners In Chicago would In conse.
ence Of such action be any more likely TO 10
Ike terms with the Pullman companyY IN.
q Is absurd. II the great employers 81
or all over the country were TO declare Io.k. -
8 for the purpose Of bringing infuspce ci
bear upon tbs Pullman smploy~a ana 4
10 W tAus pualsh the men and wemsn u