The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-04
HOW TO AVERT STRIKES
A CALM, DIsPAssIosATE C~ONsIDERA-
TION OF a TIMELY TOPIC.
Relations of Labor and Capital, with
suggestIons Looking 10 Preven-
ton Of Serious Clashes.

II is a self-evident proposition that II we
would avert strikes We must deal with the
causes of strikes: consequently, any fruit
full discussion OF preventive measures must
be based upon an analysis OF these causes
What. then. are the causes OF strikes or
wage earners? Many different causes are
enumerated in reports on strikes. but most
OF these are subsidiary causes. The main
causes are ~three-namely. first. a desire
for higher wages. or al effort TO prevent
reduction Of wages; second, a desire for
shorter working day. and third. a desire TO
improve the general environment under
which work is conducted. The first cause
is the one which appears most frequently
in industrial disputes. but during the past
generation many bitter strike conflicts have
been waged with reference TO the length Of
the working day. In the United States.
especially. efforts TO secure a normal work
ing day Of eight hours have provoked some
Of our hercest strikes. The regulation OF
environment has been a relatively infre-
quent cause of strikes. although the mat
ter is one of great Importance. Efforts
to secure recognition OF labor organization.
TO regulate apprenticeship. etc. are sub
sidiary TO the main causes enumerated. and
all these causes obviously may be reduced
TO the one main cause-a desire on the
part OF wage-earners TO improve their
economic position. But this desire on the
part Of wage-earners, taking the main d.
rections mentioned. does not lead 10 strikes
until it encounters opposition. IL desire
were realization, conflict would cease.
Now the opposition to the realization Of de-
sire in the case OF the wage-earners IS
found in the attitude OF their employers.
These in turn have their own DESIRES tax
ing frequently an opposite direction. name
ly, desires for a longer working day or
lower wages, and they also generally find in
the economic conditions surrounding them
sharp limitations Of the possibilities or
compliance.
INDUSTRIAL WAR
Without dwelling longer on these prelim'
mary observations, il may be said that as
a result Of conflicting desires and interests
which, in spite of all fine words, are pre-
cisely identical, We find arrayed against
each other two economic classes. namely
the employed and the employers. The
| earners of wages frequently feel that the
resistance TO their aspirations is unjust and
indefensible, and the wage-payers feel that
the demands made on them are M -eason-
able and sometimes impossible OF fulfill
AA1llI- "a tE1faA 49,
rights and privileges. and as this dispute
is looked upon as a matter Of private con-
Germ chiefly, or even wholly. no regular
public tribunal for the adjustment OF these
differences is provided; or when one does
exist il is not clothed with adequate
powers. That takes place which must. in
the nature Of things happen, namely. an
attempt to secure the satisfaction or de-
sires by force-economic force. The wage
| earneTs cease work and cndeavor TO IN
duce others 70 refrain frcm taking the
places which they have left. Their hope is
that through the infection Of a penalty on
the employer. namely. a 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 soon becomes hunger.
may force the wage-earners 10 yield 10 his
terms. This is a kind OF war. and. In
deed. is in popular language so called. IL
is industrial war. and there is no doubt that
the suffering involved is in proportion TO
the number engaged comparable TO that
Of military warfare; frequently it is. no
| doubt. even greater. Cripples are left on
the ~held-both literally and nguratively.
Years after an Industrial battle. here and
there may be found the manned. wrecked
existences. and no pensions afford them re-
lief. Their suffering continues one OF in
glorious silence. But this strike-warfare
is domestic. IL is within the Nation. IL is
civil war. IL had geen supposed that with
in the Nation peace was achieved, and that
We were moving forward 10 abolish war
fare 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 were set
tied directly by physical force. Later. as
the interest OF society In peace asserted it.
self. combats were regulated; and SIN
later, as social evolutions proceeded. phys
ical violence was prohibited. and tribunals
we're provided for the adjustment OF large
classes Of cases, especially those relating
10 rights in property. The social interest
in the preservation OF order and the main
tenance OF rights OF law came to be re-
garded as criminal. as acts directed against
society itself. Burglary Is not a private
affair between a burglar and a person bur-
glarized. but 4 public matter Of which the
state takes cognizance. And means are
provided for the settlement OF quarrels re-
lating 10 property interests. and adequate
force is at hand TO compel obedience 10
judicial decisions. Contempt OF court IL
severely punished because public order and
peace turn upon respect for judicial de-
cisions as something pivotal.
\ NATTER OF PUBLIC CONCERN.
This lire OF thought naturally suggests
an extension of public authority in such
manner that provision may be made for the
settlement OF controversies between en-
ployers and employees. The chief point &c
be borne in mind is that these industrial
| disputes with their resulting industrial
warfare are no longer private matters.
In early times the private interest was IL
deed 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 self-sufi-
J cheney Of the household. Production and
exchange are now social processes and are
no longer capable OF regulation by indivfd-
ual action. Consolidation OF railways has
been proceeding rapidly for more than a
generation and now closely connected with
this consolidation we have our epoch
making so-called trust movement. IL has
now come 10 pass that a few men-so few