The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-14
THE MACHINIsTs. DE,tAND.

For number Of months past prenara-
lions have been made for the inaugural
ton of the nine-hour demand on the
part of the members of the International
Machinists' union. May 20 will mark the
Inauguration Of a huge strike among
the members of that union in case the
demand is not conceded. Such at least
Is the avowed programme and policy Of
the Machinists International union.
Current press reports give the informa-
ton that the employers have refused to
Rccede to the demand of the men. 1t
is of course generally understood that a
movement is steadily in progress among
the members of the various union labor
organizations for the leSsening of the
working hours There is no man of
humane tendencies that will not syInpa-
thize with such a movement. There is
no man in any walk of life who does
not desire TO see the hours of labor re-
duced and the hours of leisure extended.
On May 20 we are to have inaugurated
a huge strike among the machinists of
the United States. That Is the great
proposition which the American people
are brought up against 1t may be that
the strike will never he inauguratel /.
The working machinists themselves NAV
not deem it expedient The opposition
offered by the employing machinists may
be too strong to warrant the experiment.
The conditions Of
or another may not be favorable. In
this way the country may avoid the
grave consequences which must follow
such movement
But no one on eitherside considers what
the disposition or feeling of the public
may be in the premises. The public does
not count in the transaction at all. Mr..
O'Connen, the president CT the Machin--
lists International union, has his views
and he enlightens the world on the sub
ject and also on the views of the officials
of the organization of the employing
machinists clash is almost certain as
the result of the failure to agree among
the two sets of officials; but that seems
to he accepted as one of the inevitable
incidents of movements of that general
character.
To outsiders it does not seem very Diff
fcut for employers and employees alike
to reconcile themselves to a given con-
dition in the conduct of their business
Or at least it would not be difficult were
the organizations of employers and en-
ployes able TO control the markets, the
one in labor, the other in the other ele
ments of constructive cost Unhappily
the unions do not control the labor
market, and the employing bodies do
not control the othev elements that enter
into the cost of constructive work in the
machinists' calling. The result naturally
is disagreement.
In such situation the action of one
of the bodies in insisting on given terms
at all hazards does not Sc m on the faca
OF things just or equitable. If President
OConnell and his men can control the
market for skilled mechanics they can he
regarded as in position to dictate the
number of hours which men shall work
and the amount of pay thy shall re-
celye; but until this prime condition is
realized there is nothing short of invit-
ing disaster to both inter ests to issue
an absolute mandate and insist on its
fulfIlment
The Clio e hopes that May 20 VIII
md the employing and employed ma
chinists all acting on the ne-hour dav.
but it does not expect to see the event
realized 1t does hope and believe that
scme ether satisfactory adjustment will
be made.