New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-10
THE QUESTION OF STRIKEA

Strikes are becoming epidemic Tho latest OK
II 600 coal-miners near Pittsburg, reads close
" on the heels Of the strike in building trades
here in which ID is said that 1900 men are en-
Gagged. and that can hardly be said to have FOL
lowed the great strike OF trolley workers by
which the whole city Of Brooklyn was affected.
There are also strikes in progress In at least
q dozen different cities and trades The effects
op the long coke strike at ConnellSville hardly
nsssed away with last year, and the strike OF
many thousand miners in Western States and
of the American Railway Union through the
West. added greatly TO the losses OF last year
There should be no surprise if labor contro-
yerses are frequent, for they were predicted as
the inevitable consequence Of an attempt TO
revolutjonize the Nations industrial policy, and
TO force American labor into direct competition
with labor in other countries.
In itself the strike is not always IN unmixed
evil as it is not always wrong. OFTEN II IS 'he
only mode of determining what must ever be
the main question at issue between employers
and employed whether other workers can 90
and will do the same work which strikers re-
fuse Labor would not be free II other men
could have no chance to take the places vacated
Hence the fundamental law Of free institutions
and the most sacred of personal rights are vlo-
lated when force is used TO deprive men who
are willing from doing work which others are
not willing to do. Unfortunately, THIS mas De-
come SO common that strictly lawful ana or
derlv strike. like the one in the building trades,
socuros general commentator. Where force ls
used. the public is compelled 10 use force. Order
nust be preserved the rights Of other workers
and of property must be protected, and that
which ought to be question between employers
and employed thus becomes question between
the employed and civilized society
Discussing this question in THE Social Econo-
mist for March, Mr. George Gunton urges That
the only remedy is higher development OF
organization and proposes mutual union, com
posed equally Of employers and employed, 70
which all questions shall be referred. But THIS
would apparently fail 10 meet the fact that the
real issue is nearly always, not between EN-
Movers and employed, but between one or the
other Of them and the public IL employers
force a strike by lawlessness or intolerable IN
iustice or if the men lift violent hands to deny
others the right to labor In either case the first
duty of civilized society Is to see that right IS
done Always there is wrong on both sides, as
Mr. Gunton reasons But there is almost in
variaby some step OF warfare against peaceful
society. which puts one party or the other out
OF court and beyond the right 10 claim anything
except punishment Thus at Chicago, the ordi
nary strike at the Pullman Works was no Of
fence against society. but the first step TO coerce
railroads by organized violence was crime
against the public and there ought TO have
been the power and the will to treat every con-
tinuing member OF an organization so acuhg as
guilty Of a punishable offence.
The right to act collectively must indeed be
recognized, but carries with 1t direct RESPONSE
/ bnty Of every person so represented. If wrong
is done or law violated Hence the thing above
| all necessary is not conference between two
| bodies within society, but body formed TO
represent civil society in every such contro-
yersv, to receive complaints from either party,
| to decide whether either has violated or is about
/ TO violate its obligations 10 the public, ana in
case Of any such wrong by either, 70 deprive
any corporation or organization Of all its right
10 exist or 10 act until The wrong has been
righted and to bring all the power Of civil gov
eminent to bear on any individual committing
| or unfolding the wrong If this could be done,
| strikes would not grow into instructions, and
nlne-tenths Of them would never be begun.
! With Justice either side would haste TO appeal
70 the public representatives TO decide. Without
Justice. neither would venture to engage in any
contest affecting the peace and welfare OF so
| ciety.