The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-05-25

Mr.. Tregear calls attentlon t0Sa pro-
vision OF the New Zealand law which
has hitherto escaped attention. He
says that some men prefer to strike,
they can be forced by not only the en-
ployers but also by the related trades''
to appear in court. He quotes a case
in which men" had to return to work
until their wages were settled by law"
Certainly the history of the determine
ton Of workmen's wages, hours aid
conditions Of labor as settled by quarter
sessions and magistrates are not so
glowing or pleasant to contemplate as
to warrant the workers In our day to
surrender their rights to achieve which
they have made SO many sacrifices and
which they now possess-the freedom to
unite. and If needs be, struggle for ma
terial, moral, political and social i'm
provement-to the other alternative,
the dubious and imperial decree Of the
courts, enforceable by all the powers of
the state. =.
During the past five or six years, the
entire civilized world has experienced
an era Of industrial prosperity, yet Mr..
Tregear coddles himself into the belief
that the prosperity enjoyed by the peo-
pie of New Zealand is entirely due to
its compulsory arbitration law. = He is
perhaps unmindful Of the fact that the
legislature Of the state of Colorado ap-
pointed g. special committee to visit
several countries, among which was
New Zealand. The committee went to
that country favorably disposed toward
the law, yet in its official report stated
that the era of prosperity enjoyed by
the people Of New Zealand was not be-
cause Of the compulsory arbitration law
but in spite Of it.
At the Chicago conference, held last
January, to consider the question OF
arbitration, and particularly compul-
sorry arbitration. the writer hereof dis
tinctly stated that organized labor was
so thoroughly committed to the princi-
pie Of Cancellation and arbitration that
it required no argument from US at that
time; we simply proposed to criticise
and expose the fallacies and wrongs
underlying the proposition for compul-
sorry arbitration and to assert the rights
to which the workers were entitled.
It is evident, however, that some dis
honestly misinterpreted and misrepre-
sented our views and expressions on
that occasion, while another has been
unintentionally misled.
Some newspapers either failing to
comprehend industrial history or indus
trial conditions and development, have
attacked the representatives of labor,
impugning their honesty and motives,
because they cannot discern a divine
~ rh3 fvof wit,
the shadows Of judges, sheriffs and jails
in the background. Notable among this
class is the Buffalo Express. which re-
Gently INDUCED in screed worthy the
worst enemy to the interests of labor.
We should like to inquire where the
Buffalo Express gets its information
that the workmen in unions are heavily
assessed to pay the" high sararies" Of
labor officials and how high It inagines
the salaries Of the officials Of the labor
movement are? This belief is so gener-
ally held by the uniformed and so Oft
en- subtly employed by rabid antagon-
lists, that we ventare to-. assert that
there are few men engaged In the labor
movement who could not treble their
salaries II they 'apfthied the same zeal,
ability and faithfllness to any other
vocation. zz-o-31 l &. Y s. ss:sS T.
But there, is another direct charge
which the Buffalo Express makes, and
to which we desire to call attention.
We challenge the writer of the article
in that paper or anyone else to cite one
instance where there has appeared a
dishonest agitator who betrays his fol-
lowing by stirring up q strike and then
selling out" We brand the statement
as a malicious and unwarranted false
hood, emanating from one either eaten
up with his own egotism or malignant
| enemy Of the workers, who would de-
| prive them of their best means of de-
-organization-and not necessari-
| ly the strike-but the right to strike.
We have been connected with the
organized labor movement for more
than third Of century, and have yet
to meet the first man who has been
active in the organization Of labor, who
has not exercised every means within
his power to avert and to avoid strikes,
and though a mistake may have been
made in entering into a strike. which
is exceedingly seldom we are yet to
make the acquaintance u OIAS WIZ udS
| stirred up strike among the workers
and sold 1t out.
OF a more careful nature is a very
able article in the Messenger Of the
Sacred Heart, from the pen Of Rev. c.
| Coppens, in which that gentleman, aft
| er commencing the purpose, policy and
actions of our movement. and In gen.
eral way compliments US, takes except
ion to our remark before the Chicago
conference that we insist that the work
ers shall have the right to strike for
any reason or for no reason at all. We
feel sure that after the reverend gentle
man shall have again given our posi-
ton that consideration we think it de-
serves, he will have less cause for ad-
| verse criticism. 4 - 49, ..
From a purusal of!our declaration i,
will be clearly seen that we do not urge
the workers to strike:f for any reason OF
for no reason at all, but demand simply
that they shall have the right to do so;
and when we employ; the word right
in connection with this question, w
must bear in mind the phase and the
| circumstances in which it i8 EMPLOYED