New-York tribune., 1901-08-04


the matter is one OF great importance, Efforts
to secure recognition of labor organization. TO
regulate apprenticeship, etc. subsidiary to
the main causes enumerated. and all these
causes obviously may he reduced TO the one
rnain.cause 2 desire on the part of wage earners
10 Improve their economic position. But this
desire the part Of wage earners taking the
main directions mentioned does not lead 10
strikes until il encounters opposition. If desire
were a realization. conflict would cease
Now the opposition TO the realization Of desire
in the case of the wage earners is found in the
attitude OF their employers. These in turn have
their own desires. taking frequently an opposite
direction namely, desires for a longer working
day OF lower wages, and they also generally find
in the economic conditions surrounding them
sharp limitations of the possibilities of comp-
ance.
TWO CLASSES OPPOSED.
Without dwelling longer on these preliminary
observations II may be said that result Of
conflicting desires and interests which, in spite
Of al fine words. are precisely identical. We find
arrayed against each other two economic classes.
namely, the employed and the employers The
earners Of wages frequently feel that the re-
sistance 20 their aspirations is unjust and inde
fensihle and the wage payers feel that the de-
mands made on them are unreasonable and
sometimes even impossible Of fulilment. A dis
pute exists as 10 economic rights and privileges.
and as this dispute is looked upon matter
OF private concern chiefly, even wholly. no
regular pubic tribunal for the adjustment of
these differences is provided; or when one does
exist, it is not clothed with adequate powers.
That takes place which must in the nature of
things happen, namely attempt TO secure
the satisfaction Of desires by force-economic
nd
deavor 10 induce others TO refrain from taking
the places which they have left. Their hope is
that through the infiiction of a penalty the
employer. namely, pecuniary loss. compliance
with their desires viii be forced. The employer.
on the other hand trusts that the pressure of
economic need, which in many cases be-
comes hunger. may force the wage earners TO
g1eid 10 his terms This is a kind of war, and,
sndeed, is in popular language called. 1t is
Industrial war and there is no doubt that the
suffering involved is in proportion the number
engaged comparable to that Of military war
fare; frequently # is no doubt, even greater.
cripples are left the field-both literally and
hguratively Years after an industrial battle
here and there may be found the manned,
wrecked eXistences, and no pensions afford them
relief Their suffering continues one of ingIori-
Gus silence.
A DOMESTIC WARFARE.
But this strike warfare Is domestic 1t is
within the nation. 1t is civil war 1t had been
supposed that within the nation peace was
achieved and that we were moving forward 10
abolish warfare among nations. Our period is
truly one OF establishments!
The government has as one OF its ends the
preservation of order and quiet. In early times
quarrels OF all sorts We're settled directly by
physical force Later. as the interest Of society
and still later as social evolution proceeded,
physical violence was prohibited. and tribunals
We're provided for the adjustment of large
classes of cases. especially those relating to
rights in property The social interest IN the
preservation of order and the maintenance Of
rights OF law came TO be regarded criminal;
as acts directed against society sself. Burglary
IS not a private affair between burglar and a
person burglarized but public matter OF which
the State takes cognizance. And means are pro-
vided for the settlement Of quarrels relating TO
property interests. and adequate force is at
hand 10 compel obedience TO judicial decisions
contempt Of court" is severely punished be-
cause public order and peace turn upon respect
for judicial decisions as something pivotal
This line of thought naturally suggests an
extension of public authority in such manner
that provision may be made for the settlement
of controversies between employer and en-
ployes The chief point 10 be borne in mind is
that these industrial disputes with their result
ing industrial warfare are no longer private
matters In early times the private interest was
indeed the dominant one, because production
was chiefly an individual matter. Not long ago
over a large section Of the civilized world the
ideal was the economic -sufficiency Of the
household.
NOW SOCIAL PROCESSES.
Production and exchange are now social proc
esses and are longer capable Of regulation
by individual action. Consolidation of railways
has been proceeding rapidly for more than
generation, and now closely connected with this
consolidation we have our epoch making So
called trust movement. II has now come TO
pass that a few men-so few that they
easily be gathered together in a single room
control a considerable percentage of all the cap
ital Of the United States and direct the employ
nent Of a large fractional part OF the labor
power OF our country. This means economic
solidarity such as the world has never known
before. The difference in degree comes TO mean
a difference in kind The social character
OF industry is recognized alike by the most con-
sefVative economists and the most thoughtful
masters Of men.
The prevention Of strikes means simply this.
We must open our eyes 10 the clear implications
OF our growing economic solidarity. The orderly
and peaceful operation Of our industrial mechan-
ism is a matter OF public concern and must be
secured by social action OF one sort and another
First Of all, IL Is suggested by the writer we
should classify businesses with respect to the
degree OF public concern in their. continuous
operation. Naturally, railways telegraph lines
and generally the agencies OF transportation
and communication together with lighting
plants and other so-caed local public utilities
belong ia the class IN which the social interest
asserts itself most vigorously.
INTEREST OF SOCIETY PARAMOUNT.