The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-08-15
Subject of the Great Strike
Handled by Political Economist.
WHERE LAB0RlNG MEN ARE WRONG.
The Violation of a Contract is Not
Warranted.
THE LEADERS ARE VERY BLAMABLE.
Workers Through the Unions if They Act
Properly can Effect Radical and Bene-
fetal Changes in Their Spheres.

The Pilot received the following com
mumcation from well known political
economist: Organized labor is neces-
sity, and the necessity becomes more
urgent as corporate interests become
more consolidated Without organiza
ton the multitude of workmen are as
helpless as are promiscuous mobs in the
face Of an array of veterans equipped
with all the modern articles of war.
when demands are made compromises
are to be effected, it is essential that the
contending parties approximate equality
in power, and this approximation can
be realized only by organizing the great
mass of laborers into harmonious fed
Grafton.
Employers at first We're very loathe
to recognize union labor, yet the perser
vering persistence of the udions won for
them increased recognition. Unfortun-
ately, however, organized labor is in
the main guided by Enthusiastically lead
ers who often by single stroke undue
the fruits Of years of effort. As exam
pies we may cite the machinists strike
and the pending strike of the steel
workers.
The machlnists year ago obtained
important concessions from their EN-
ployers. Their union through its auth
- lE1n ;o1- A. Ia yl,
contained provision to submit future
disputes to aboard of arbitrators When
in May the employers reduced the work
ing day from ten to nine hours with a
corresponding decrease in wages, the
unions protested. In violation of their
agreement TO submit their grievances to
arbitration, general strike was inaug-
urated. The employers took the oppor-
unity to abrogate all agreements, and
Immediately declared that they would
refuse to confer with an irresponsible
organization-an organization that fails
in the fulhllment of its obligations
This attitude they have steadfastly main
tanned. A few weeks ago the strikers
returned as individuals They not only
utterly failed in their effort to secure
reduction in hours without a cores
ponding reduction in wages, but at the
same time they released there employers
from an uneXpired contract. and above
all, they intellectually impaired the vital
ity of their organization. The sacred
ness Of a contract was violated. The
penalty was as just as it was inevitable
And now President Schaffer of the
Amalgamated Association issues a cir
cular calling upon the steel workers to
ignore their contracts. In the east the
call fora strike was quite generally
obeyed, but the Chicago and Bay View
milwaukee, unions by practically
unanimous vote refused to go out.
The steel workers have agreed to scale
for period that has not yet expired
The terms of the contract, have not yet
been fulfilled. If the integrity cf the
Amalgamated Association is to remain
intact, and if its influence is to contin-
lie unimpaired, a contract into which it
has entered must not be ruthlesslv set
aside BY ignoring its obligations an
organization as an individual becomes
irresponsible in the eye of the public
The world at large will shun it, Decay
and Death must follow. w. c. S.