The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-05-04

use or threaten pnySlcal SIOTCe,8 no body
Of organized workers has ever met
which claimed 1t was q right. On the
contrary. the oppositesv view Is universal.
Our judges and public men should
bear in mind that organized labor
claims nothing more than the law
grants and guarantees to every Ameri-
can citizen and that 1t does nothing
which lawyers, physicians, merchants,
publishers and men engaged in BUSH
ness or professional pursuits generally
do not do constantly and without. chal-
lenge from any quarter. The whole
gospel of this is summed up in one
phrase, familiar one-freedom of con-
tract-organized labor not only ac-,
cepts, but insists upon, equality of
rights and of freedom. It is willing to
abide by this test, to have its demands
weighted and measured by that stand
ard.
Let us put Justice Brewer AN ex-
IRENE case. An employer who has
ninety union men in his estab-
lishment and has neither contracted
nor promises to employ no noh-union
men, introduces one fine morning a
non-union workman into his factory,
or mill or shop. He certainly has q
right to do this, and the ninety-nine
union men cheerfully recognize this
right. Further, this non union man is
an excellent workman, a good citizen,
an attractive fellow. There is no pos
sible objection to him on person or
trade grounds. But for some reason
ho' Ak
join the union. Again, this. he, has
right to do, and the ninety-nine recog-
nize it. They can not force him to
join, and they have no intention of do
ing so. But, at the same time, they
are determined not to work alongside
Of non union man. Their reasons
for this do not concern us. They are
free men and are entitled to say with
whom and on what terms they will
work. Suppose now, that the ninety
nine union men go to their employer
and say: "Mr. A., we are very sorry,
but we cannot remain in your employ
if you keep B., the non-union man. We
mean to quit your service, peaceably,
quietly and in an orderly manner, but
we shall ask all our friends to keep
away from your establishment and de-
cline any offer of employment from
YOU" All this, again, the union men
have a right to say to their employer,
as they have the right to carry it into
effect. ..
One more step remains to be taken.
the one non-union workman and take
his chances under strike, or he may
to avoid trouble and interruption of
work, dismiss the one man with whom
the ninety-nine will not work. If he
adopts the former course a contest
ensues between him and organized la
bora legal contest, mark, and a
peaceful one If the union is strong,
we'll supported and able to hold out,
the employer loses, and the one man
has to be discharged in the end. # the
union is weak the union suffers defeat,
and the establishment is henceforth
filled with non-union workmen.
But the employer may not care to
have strike on his hands and may
let the one man go upon the first
request or demand Of the union. y JUS
tice Brewer. we gather, WOULD not
blame the employer for cllposin& this
Ea1tAnnaf NE But Ssoiald ~ ISL the
Eninet y-nine men ould ~. accuse
them OF II coercion, 8 interfere with
the liberty Of the non union workman
and disobedience to law? II he would
on what ground? Have these men done
anything that exceeded their own righ,
to freedom of contract? True, they
have caused the dismissal Of the one
on-union individuals; true, they have
| deprived him of work and wages; bu,
by what means have they done this
| Simply by informing the employer thai
he must choose between them and the
one man, by threatening to- quit. work
| and induce their fellow-unionist t.
abstain from taking the vacated places
Is there anything illegal In this
| method? -
Justice Brewer must admit thai
| there is not, since he admits the RICH!
| to quit work for any reason or whin
| What fellows? This, that it is unnec.
cessary for Worlkmen to wait till the lee
islature has enacted their consolida.
| ton and given them a monopoly o.
work. If they are powerful enough tt
control the labor market through or
ganization and, by purely economic
means, compel capital to employ non,
but union labor, they are fully entitled
by existing laws and morality, to do so
They do not wait for the legislature:
determination of their wages; VIII,
should they wait for the enactment o.
any law regulating other terms of en-
ployment? 8
Thus we reach the logical conclusion
that organized labor may deprive non
union men of employment without an,
violation of law, or equ4l freedom
without the disobedience to authorit,
which alarms Justice Brewer. q
In truth, the trouble with the learned
justice and many others is that the.
are unwilling to abide by the principl,
with which they profess to start out
They talk about contract, freedom ant
equal rights, yet, when they see on,
man or few men deprived of worl
through the power of organization, law
fully and peacefully exercised. they for
get these principles and raise the hui
and cry Of Coercion" and intimidation
Be consistent, gentlemen; stick to you
premises and do not shirk from tn,