The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-20
A SUGGESTION.

other, and threaten, through their diff
ferences, to work untold injury to the
productive forces of both communities
and, in measure, OF the state and the
surrounding territory
When either party to an industrial mis-
understanding Is willing to concede that
mistakes have been made there is a
strong likelihood that the admission will
be followed by adjustment. This is what
has happened at McKeesport; and a
strike, the dimensions of which one can
only guess at has been brought to a
satisfactory close.
The men in the building trades In st.
Paul and Minneapolis are apparently on
both sides so assured of their own infal-
Gbility and of the injustice animating
the other side that the prospect Of an
adjustment, which has at different tines
looked favorable, has recently all but
disappeared.
There are a few fundamental principles
which seem to be ignored alike by men
and bosses in the troubles in these
towns. Certain of the bosses, for in
stance. while they maintain unions among
themselves designed to keep up the prices
which they charge the general public,
are unwilling to allow the right to the
men to maintain union organizations
among themselves practically for the
same purpose. They will act in agree
ment as to prices toward the public; but
the men must not do likewise toward
them This is folly. 1t is ancient and
incredible folly Such claim, made
in this city as long as fifteen years
ago, by the master builders as. against
the working carpenters was defeated,
and ought then to have been put at rest.
The employer who seeks to revive it to-
day is little better than a mischief
maker
When the right Of men in any and ev-
cry calling to unite in organizations for
their own we'll being, whether they be
workingmen or employers, is once con-
ceded the chief cause of trouble in in
dustrial life is at once removed. The
sooner the employers in the building and
other trades rid themselves of the foolish
thought that they can drive the men
from their unions the better will it be
for the welfare of both sides, and for
the future of productive labor.
On the other hand the men of a given
craft not content with having unions
among themselves unite with those Of
allied callings and form what they call
trade councils. Today in ST. Paul the
employing painters and, If we are not
mistaken, the employing builders also,
are insisting that the existence of such
bodies as the Building TraZes council
operates so as to promote sympathetic
strikes. The sympathetic strike IS a
for instance, are justified in giving to
a union of carpenters on strike all the
aid, moral and financial, they can extend
to them they are not justified in entering
into a league with them with an express
understanding that they will strike them
selves when the men of the other craft
do so.
There is a good deal to be said pro
and con on this subject. The G 0 b g
does net pretend that the Building
Trades council is maintained for the
promotion of sympathetic strikes.
Nor does it claira that the sympathetic
strike is necessarily even an incident OF
membership in the Building Trades
council But attention should be called
TO the disaster which came to men and
bosses alike aud to the community itself
in Chicago during the building season
Of 1900 through the insistence of the
men on the maintenance of the Building
Trades council. It seems to the G l b e
is ample opportunity for concession on
both sides. The maintenance of a Build
ing Trades council ought not to be a
menace to employers such as many OF
them profess the ST. Paul Building
Trades council to be. 1t is not neces-
sary that it should be such a menace
any more than it is necessary that it
should be abolished or that the men or
the unions should desert their member
ship in it. But some assurance ought
to be available that In difficulties exist
lug between men and bosses in a given
trade the central council shall not be
used as a sort Of consolidated club to
hold over the heads of the EMPLOYERS
to coerce them into granting terms
which they would not feel disposed to
grant except under such duress. The
G o b Q does not pretend to know. ana
does not allege, that such use Is being
made, or Is likely to be made. of the
Building Trades council of ST. Paul. All
1t insists on is that an employers union
IN given calling ought to be at liberty
to do business with a corresponding
union of It's employees when differences
exist, without having any third organt-
zation Or individual put in an oar and
muddy up the waters of disagreement
IL any such condition exists If seems to
us that 1t is Incumbent on the parties
Interested ITO. remove it. IL by doing SO