The Saint Paul globe., 1900-06-20
THE CoMMuNsry DIsRECARDED.

I
Several days ago movement was set
on foot in Chicago to bring to an end the
strife which has prevailed there for sew
eral months between the employing build
ing contractors and their employees. The
fight which was thus sought to be ended
has been one of the most fiercely con
Quoted on both sides of any of the indus
trial disagreements which have done so
much to disturb productive life in re-
cent years. 1t has wrought inestimabie
injury to all the interests involved, put
a virtual stop to all building operatio
in Chicago and has embttered the rela-
tons of the men and the employers to an
extent that will hardly be forgotten dur
ing the present generation.
The movement toward settlement prog
resses very slowly, and, according to the
latest indications, will end in failure.
There is no essential question involved
There is nothing which could prevent an
adjustment of difficulties far more COM
plicated and serious existing between ra-
tional men, But the parties to this strife
are quite evidently not rational when
considering their present disagreements.
They have thus far on both sides shown
& disposition to stand on comparatively
trivial matters without hope of or dis
position toward concession or reconcile
ment.
Originally the question at issue appears
to have been one which involved the
question of the right of the employers to
use non-union material on their work.
After much time and consideration an
agreement was prepared which seemed
entirely satisfactory to both sides. This
agreement proved a short time after its
seeming acceptance, to be Objectionable
to the men. They so declared, and d
lockout was instituted Since then the
passions of both sides have been at a
white heat, rendering an agreement with
out outside intervention practically i'm
possible.
1t Is worthy of note that. whatever the
original causes of the disagreement were,
they have been wholly lost sight Of in
the progress of the difficulty, which has
degenerated into a war made by each
side on the organization of the other.
The employers determined that they
would destroy the general local organi-
zation of the men, known as the Building
Trades Council. The men, on the other
hand, resented such purpose, and the
conflict has been in its later developments
war between two trades organizations.
Within few days the employers asked
a conference with a committee of the
men chosen from the several unions, and
the request was granted. The confer
ence seemed to promise good results but
it has not been continued, and both sides
are now involved in technical objections
which in nowise relate to the merits of
the issue: AS the result of these objec-
tions, which relate mostly to what the
action of one side or tie other might
be in a given contingency, the building
industry Of one of the greatest of Amer
lean cities is tied up, and the community
and its individual members are being sub
jected to great loss and hardship
Such conditions have been realized
in this, as in almost all other recent
cases of industrial disagreement, as to
demand some legislative action which
will afford protection to society against
the unreason which so often distin-
guishes the action of parties to embitter-
ed industrial disputes