The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-10
THE STRIKE AND LOCKOUT.
LECTURE BEFORE LEAGUE FOR
POLITICAL EDUCATION.
Attitude of the Observation-Disclosures m,
He Said, Could Have Ended His
strike by n Candid Explanation

Prof. John Graham Brooks lectured yes
ierday morning at Menfelssohn hall be-
fore the League for Political Education on
Inc strike and the Lockout" The audi
ences nave steadily grown In size. until
the hall is now crowded every Saturday
morning by members OF the league.
In opening mis- discussion Of these two
forms OF interference with the regular
course OF labor. Mr.. Brooks said that in
recent years they had cost. besides great
loss OF life. more than 500. 600 600 in the
wages OF the iaborers and of the capital
OF employers. The chief causes Of lock-
outs and strikes. he said, have been the
struggle 10 obtain higher wages or short
err hours He devoted himself chiefly to
the strike
THE STRIKE he said. IFS no new thing.
There were strikes in ancient Rome and
In one OF them, the strike of the gladia-
tors. the employers having won the fight
e.oo OF the strikers were crucifed be-
tween Capua and Rome Strikes were also
familiar In Venice and in other CONNER
ciai centers Of Europe
The modern tendency. within the older
trades unions. at least. is TO abandon the
strike as means OF enforcing the de-
mands OF the laborers Within the last
ten or twelve years not more than 2 or 3
per cent. OF the funds Of the older unions
I'm England have been used to maintain
strikes. In our own country however
the frequency and the magnitude Of
strikes seem to DO increasing. More than
&5.0e0,000 was wiped out of existence by the
strike on the Gould system of railways.
and there was also great loss of life and
damage to property. There was also tre-
mendous loss in the strikes at Homestead
and Pullman.
"A new and important element has en-
tered into the strike problem. II is public
opinion. The Importance of this new ele-
ment Is shown by the fact that In a strike
In London in 1891 sympathizers in this
country sent 10000 10 aid the strikers
Public sentiment and help have brought
tragic note into the problem
II once witnessed a characteristic strike
In small manufacturing New England
town The employer, as ! asoertained af-
terward. was justified in reducing wages:
but he refused 10 arbitrate the difference
between himself and the workers and 10
explain 10 their committee the exact sit
uatlon. While his action was right his
attitude was entirely wroug II he had
explained 10 his employees as fully and as
cordially as he afterward explained mat
tiers TO me, there would have been no
strike.
This was also tho case in the Pullman
strike, as l was told by the head of the
commission that President Cleveland sent
10 the scene to investigate its causes and
effects. He said TO me that at one time
Mr.. Pullman had IL IN his power TO end
the strike. not by concessions or submis-
sion. but by a change In his resolute atti-
tude. and by 4 candid explanation OF his
position"
The lecturer then described in detail the
progress Of strike. from the first threat
OF quitting work through the stages of
agitation. the appeal TO the public for
fxAE h. as.1H a
ger, TO the final defeat. He gave a pic
iure of the "seab' from the point OF view
OF the strikers. He is looked upon. said
tho lecturer. as an interloper. who comes
in and not only takes away their work.
but helps to deprive them of their victory
over the employer.
There is one feature OF the strike. he
said, that reveals the desperate nature Of
the problem This is the difficulty OF ar
ranging any understanding between the
employer and the employees In the strike
he had witnessed he interested himself in
trying 70 bring about n mutual under
standing that would end The matter. hut
failed The rumor got out that the
"scAbs" employed by the factory were
making such poor goods that the product
OF the mill had TO De DESTROYED He at
last prevailed upon the strikers 10 send an
expert into the mill 10 see if this were
true. He then went 20 the employer ard
got his consent 20 have The expert walk
through the factory. The expert worker
was a girl When she came out she said
the "scahs' were making As good stun as
the mill ever produced.
As soon. however. a. she got back to
her feliuw-strikers" said the lacturer
they made her believe that / had ken,
her 50 long on the outside that the en-
ployer had time % substitute good prod
act for the bad. Another inspection Was
necessary.
There Is something heroic ana splen-
dld In the self-sacrifice % the striker. And
THIS side Of his character should not 90
without It's reward IN art and IN history
W hen we have mastered the great prob
lem. ard learned 10 appreciate the hero
lsns and grandeur of these men and WON.
81 who have struggled With hunger and
despair. shall build monuments to
'frm ard honor their magnificent sacrl-
dre.'-New York Times.
80 - & q I,