Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1895-01-24
How to Lessen Labor Troubles.

some means must soon be devised and
will be devised fer reducing in num-
Der and magnitude the strikes and
other troubles between employers and
employees that are constantly occur
ring.
The public has passed the point
where it can be stopped by the de-
mand of tie conflicting parties, "Let
us fight it out" 1t has right to re-
quire of industry continuous and
peaceful operation. When a common
street brawl occurs, the community
does not wait for The parties to eight
it out" but promptly hustles them to
jail and demands penalty for their
infringement of the public peace.
just so, when people are inconven-
fenced by strikes and lockouts, when
the natural course is interrupted, who
ever of the parties concerned are to
blame should pay the penalty. If the
employer is the aggressor and the
workmen only acted in self-defence,
the employer should be called to ac-
count. Ii The laborers were response
BILE for the trouble, then they should
pay the public for the injury it has
suffered at their hands. If both par
ties were to blame, then they should
be held jointly accountable for the
damage.
The injury the public sustains by
reason of street brawl or even riot
is insignificant compared with the
damage resulting from a big strike
such as the Pullman trouble of last
year. Yet rioters are fined or impris-
oned for breaking the peace while
those responsible for the big strikes
and the. loss of millions of dollars to
the public escape punishmententirely.
People are beginning to see that steps
are necessary to protect them from
such oppression.
The public is practically at the mer-
cy of the contending parties, as mat
ters now stand. Suppose, as indeed
came hear being the case last year, all
the labor unions of the country should
band together and strike for higher
wages or shorter hours. Or suppose.
what is less likely, that all the leading
employers should lock out their hands
in an effort to lower wages. What a
lamentable condition would ensue
Railroads paralyzed; factories closed;
mines deserted, industry completely
checked; all business at a standstill;
nothing being manufactured or mined
or transported; nothing being bought
or sold; wages stopped; income stop
ped; everything stopped; and all on
account of labor differences in which,
quite likely, not a third of the people
are directly concerned. Such con-
dition could last only short time be-
fore every living person in America
would feel its effect If prolonged,
the result would be disastrous in the
extreme. And yet all this could occur
anybody's being responsible
for the public injury!
Laws are needed.
Not laws to forbid strikes or lock-
outs, perhaps, but laws to protect the
public in the enjoyment of peace and
We are aware that strikes and lock-
outs are both justitiable frequently.
so are blows when there is sufficient
Instead of the quite gen
,rally accepted belief that any set of
lands has the right to quit work when
t pleases, we hold the opinion that
10 set of hands, having once taken
has the right to strike
lnless changes in conditions arise suf-
icient to warrant the step. The same
ule applies to employers. Having
lired labor on certain terms, they
hould maintain these terms or substi-
ute better unless conditions absolute
y prevent.
When labor troubles occur,it would
lot be difficult matter for courts of
ustice to determine the responsibility.
questions of equal moment are decided
very day. A United States court {
hould be established and given juris-
Iiction over these matters. II should
ave the power to fine and imprison t
ny who are found guilty of commit
ing public injury by melting labor ]
When this is done there e
yill be fewer such troubles and the i
ublic will not be helpless in the face {