The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-07-23
Steel Trust Versus
the Labor Trust

From the ST. Louis Mirror
The sympathy Of the public can hardly be
said to be with the steel strikers, even though
the men be lined up for battle with a billion
dollar trust. The public is not inclined TO
ready sympathy with strikes in which no ques.
tlon oil better pay or shorter hours OF labor is
involved. The demand for a unionzation OF Ger.
tain steel mills is one that seems like an ssscr.
ton OF right to dictate the business methods
OF employers. The demonstration that the
unionization OF mills is for the bctterment Of
the employees generally is by no means convinc.
ing. II means that the employees shall be lin.
tied to certain set, bound together by certain
rules, and that workmen who may not like those
rules, cannot he employed The trust does not
propose to debar union laborers from work in its
mills, but the union purposes shutting out all
men not scaled OF their tribe The trust does
not deny the right of labor TO organize, but
organized labor denies the right of the unor.
ganzed laborer to work.
There is no doubt that il concession Of en-
ployers TO the unions meant permanent peace,
such concession would he for the best, but there
is no guarantee that recognizing the unions will
insure peace. There is no guarantee that the
employer, once under the thumb Of the union,
would be at liberty to discharge any empoye
for any cause. 1t is certain that no person not
belonging to the union could be employed, no
matter how efficient he might be. The employer
and the nonunon seeker for work would, under
such circumstances, be restrained OF his liberty
and the former would he deprived Of the control
OF his own property. The union labor principle
may be all right within certain limitations but
1t cannot he contended that it is right for any
body of men to band together TO keep other
men out OF work, or that it is right to ask any
persons managing vast business, involving the
capital Of hundreds Of thousands of people, to
deliver over the management Of the business to
an organization utterly irresponsible. The de-
mand that union men he not Disseminated
against is fair enough, but it loses its force
when it is coupled with demand that en-.
ployers discriminate against labor not in the
union.
1t is by no means clear that the cause Of
labor is necessarily the cause of liberty and JUS
tiCe Whether the recognition Of the union Is
for the general benefit is another question that
is not easily detcrminahe in favor Of the unions.
II Is not clear that the union is the best thing
for the development of the best workmen. while
it is clear that the frequent strike often puts the
good workman out Of work permanently and
makes him wandorer. The best workmcn do
not foment or lead strikes. The trouble is made
by the politician workmen and gabsters. The
complete recognition of unions, to the extent OF
accepting utterly their rules as 10 work, pay,
personality of employees, ETC.. would be equival.
ent to surrender of properties in the long run.
ayers OF our great concerns will not much longer
daily with the question whether they shall or
shall not hire a man acceptable to them re-
gardess OF his affiliations As strikes continue
and strikers in greater numbers find what strikes
lead to, for all but the leaders, there will be a
constantly increasing number Of those who do
not believe in unions. The employer will soon
tire of being limited to certain class of EN-.
ploycs and the nonunion men will tire Of be.
ing made pariahs. Then the issue will be
fought out to a finish" In some monstrous
strike, SO disastrous to everybody that the coun.
try will have no Use for the men who precipi-
tatcd it,
The right to organize has about ceased to he
an issue. II is now question whether the indi.
vidudliSt, unstfliated workman shall he de.
priNed of his right to work tTrough teuorization
OF the men Of whom he seeks employment.
shall the union tyrannze at once over the en-.
ployor and over the man who docs not believe
in the union? Ii there's anything OF the old
American spirit Of fair play left in the land
such tyranny will not he tolerated.