The Washington times., 1901-08-08
THE STEEL STRIKE.

Vt thc cause or the strikers and Tor EEht
upon the capacity OF their leader
Mr.. Shaffer devotes one sentence to ex-
PLANTATION Of the reasons for pr.eipitating
this mighty struggle:
The officials Of the United States ste Of
Trust have refused 70 recognize as Union
men those who are nov striking for the
right &c organize"
With that single vague sentence as his
base. Mr.. shaGer proceeds to this unex-
pected and startling conclusion:
we must fight or give up forever our
personal liberties"
Is not forever a long timeg And is
not overstatement in a crucial public ap-
peal a grave defect-most grave when
York World
President Shaffer, of the AmaIgamated
Association. has taken the Steel Trust
hkil by the horns. I'VE must fight" he
sSys, ''or give up forever our personal
liberties" He puts the obligation of
unionism above the validity of contracts
and the right to labor for fair wages.
The agreement of Iuly 1 last between
the Federal Steel Company and the
Amalgamated Association is to be dis
regarded and set at naught by the work
men. not because 1t has been violated
by the employing companies, but because
the Steel Corporation refuses to change
conditions Of employment In mills which
have heretofore been recognized as nom
union This is a startling menace of in
dustrfal disturbance II Ii mean any
thing at all it means that the methods
employed in 1871 to cOerce individual
and segregated steel manufacturers are
to be adopted by the Amalgamated As
sociation In dealing with a concentrated
and immeasurably superior force. 1t
is scarcely conceivable that men of COM
mon sense. taught in the costly school of
experience. should deliberately elect to
pursue a course that coul1 lead only
to moral. social. and Industrial outlawry.
1t is to be trusted that wise counsel and
sober second thought will yet avail to
avert the serious and whitening Indus
trial calamity threatened in the strike
leaders uncompromising and perfervid
pronunciamento.-Phil Record.
Out of the general confusion, two or
three facts appear to be quite plain.
One is that whatever the merits of the
controversy may be. IL is undeniably the
men and not the employers who are the
aggressorJ. 1t is not the corporations
which are seeking to impose new condi-
tions upon the men, but the Amalgamated
Association. representing the men. which
is trying to impose new conditions upon
the corporations. 1t Is not important at
this point whether the conditions are just
or unjust, necessary or superfiuous. In
any war. Industrial or other it is always
Interesting TO know who began it. In
the present instance, there can be no
doubt that that responsibility rests with
President Shaher and his associates
Boston Journal
While the Steel Corporation possesses
no actual monopoly, it IS so extensive as
to stand as the representative Of the cap
ital employed in these great industries.
and against It its employees array them
selves as the representatives of labor.
The mere existence of such division is
antagonistic to all our American tradi-
tions. and so far as it is a logical result
Of the tendency to concentration it con-
stitutes its greatest and essential danger
to the body polite.
All that the onIooksr can do is to point
out the terrifying responsibility which the
possession of such vast power imposes
upon those who nave assumed it, We
have read in history Of the fate Of ma
tion being decided by the trivial Illness
or ill-temper of a monarch or Il general
Here, in this great Republic, we are
threatened with perilS not less real be-
cause they are vague and incalcuIaDie,
because some leader may be jealous of
MS authority or some capitalist impatient
l power Holding it, he Is by every con-
;ideration bound to subordinate his rer-
ional prejudices and interests to the COM
non good. Whatever may b.. in the fu--
.ure, neither the steel combination nor
he organization of labor car at this mo-
nent be undOne. They are existing facts
But the only Justification for the exist
'nce of either of them is the more har-
nonious adjustment of the relations of
:apital and labor. That adjustment is
possible. If both refuse it. both will de-
erye to perish--PhiladsIDhi Times.
1t will be impossible to conduct strike
# such magnitude peacefully. and it is
ertain as anything can be to develop vio-
ence. lawlessncss and blOodshed and
ause widespread suffering and enormous
oss of money and property. With hun
red of thousands of men Idle the coun-
ry is sure to be confronted by great
eril II the irrepressible conflict between
apital and labor. which has been predict
d for years by students of economies. is
o occur now let us hope the least possi-
he injury will be done the country.-New
orleans States
President shaffer has drawn the sword
md thrown away the scabbard, in the
as he puts it, to see
whether unionism is to stand or fall.
While insisting that no quarter will be
iven. and none asked, President Shaffer
ays that none but peaceful means will
e employed in the struggle. 1t is within
he power of President Shaffer, and the
xecutive board OF the Amalgamated As
ociation. TO mitigate the suffering and
he distress that will. inevitably, follow
lis call-out of all men in. and affiliated
With, the association. The first step in
hat direction has been taken by him
shen he says that only peaceful means
n -
hat course be consistently and persist
ntiy followed, the Ama1samated Associa-
ion will gain largely in the public esteem.
lille violence would, most certainly. turn
he tide against him and the large and
owerful army he ommands.-Cincinnati
ommercial-Tribune.
The strike is not merely bad business
y the strikers and for the employers:
is bad for the public tranquility, bad
IT this wonderful national prosperity of
hich we have been. perhaps. too proud,
1t which surely no American in his right
,nses wants to swap off for national ad-
arsity. The strike has certainties of
IS in it for all concerned, and behind
lese certainties are possibilities ugIier
with which any mere
mpordry loss of wages or loss OF profits
ems trivial The time to stop it is be
re worse comes of it-Hartford Cour-
It.
One thing the general public would like
know in connection with the strike.
Id that is the real cause OF it. which has
It been made plain Is the Steel Trust
termined to crush organized labor. or
organized labor determined to force all
eel workers into the unions. whether
~ desire TO become members or not?
lie public will give its sympathy to one
lie or the other when the situation is
rhe apparent Sayety with which Presi-
mt Shaffer goes into the battle and the
nfideuce with which he assures the ni,h-