The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-06
UNIQUE LABOR CONFLICT.


, ~ KiotlnE-An Arbitration Com
l., s...i,u- Farmers Providing
,.t,,.. Great Copt..t
Tor '
corrxu,nEN July l,-Somc weeks ago ret-
,o ,yo, made to n lock out. now on the
in, ~ involving the entire building interests
=, ,hc Danish Kingdom. As the news comes
tickipe across the ocean that Amerlca once
go (. facing street car strikes JO.VOO Skilled
,b,nics in Denmark have been compelled
tn,oy down their tools. From an insignificant
.,rite. sta,tel by n carpenters union OF an
oh.curc town In the province OF Jutland. the
decidedly aggressive move OF mere handtnl
~ workmcn prerfpltatcd the whole country
into n state OF affairs never before clual'ed IN
tho Scandinavian peninsula.
Aroused to action the powerful Employers
Union decided sympathetic lockontabSolutely
.sscntlnl to save the day. Banued together the
.onrse o, the employers Affected every branch OF
irdustry All labor organizations were made to
fscl the forre of tho other side. IL Is not only
capital against labor. however. III Is virtually
organization against organization. For with
ali the perfection OF the Danish Labor Mon
the union Of the employers Is no less fully
equipped to meet the other body In the battle
now being waged What the end Is to be none
dare even venture
Having lasted almost two months the Issues
arc as virulently contested as when the news
Arst electrified the country that general In
dustral lockout had been declared. Inc
grocer, the baker. the one or other whose live
iihood depends upon tho income OF the work
man. has seen trade dwindle TO nothing, with
no other hope In sight than determined stand
upon the part Of the Iocked-out men. 1t is "a
condition which had been looked forward TO as
bound to come. Bat not even the most pessi-
noistic OF observers anticipated That the effect
on the country would be what has come to pass.
Copenhagen Is the capital OF the prosperous
country, and prosperous 1t is. because agri-
cultural interests are the real backbone OF the
land Copenhagen. naturally enough. is the
seat OF the struggle. 1t will be passing
strange II the United states Consul here Will
And nothing to incorporate In his periodical
reperts from Denmark which may prove adj
ynntageous to Americans at home. As in real
warfare neutral nations find 1t cSpedient to
have representatives on the field OF battle to
watch operations. Whom industrial crises
arise like tho one In question tho full
services OF practical mind Is felt
The loss and gain. as 1t concerns the
one or other faction. can be viewed
much moro calmly when no personal in
terests are at stake. From years OF observa-
ton in America your correspondent found
opportunity to watch industrial development
in all it's various phases. With tho growth OF
prosperity as 1t concerned the class dispens-
ing WORK the organization followed. as a
natural sequence. upon the part Of the en-
ployed And exactly the same holds good in
Denmark in Germany and Belgium. with the
difference that strike or a lock out is handled
In manner entirely apart from what is done
In the United Stntcs.
1t follows. as a matter OF couse, that u lock-
out cannot arise but for the presence OF some
irritant from the body OF the employed which
the employer considers cause enough for
barring the door to his factory. Individually
considered, such lockout can work but
Temporary harm. But when. rs in the case Of
Denmark. half a hundred striking carpenters
are made the excuse for throwing 10000 men
out of work. it becomes pertinent to inquire
into conditions which are entirely unique in
labor annals.
1t IL not the purpose OF your correspondent
to tell the readers OF The Sun about the grev-
ances which led to the strike and to the lock-
out. Such grievances are usually three in
numbers-a question OF moneys question OF
Ip,a ,pA rbath ar lahn ri1uti phn