The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-09-28
ARE TRUSTS INv VII ?

ALL IRUSIS INVlNElbLe!
Is the trust invincible in contest
with labor? TT Is a questioned the
greatest Importance. The trust appears
:: to be .invulnerah1e to the assaults: Of
congress and the state legislatures: If
it is also invincible to the trade-union,
and if where combination is possible
competition is impossible" then the
future belongs to the trusts. and we
will have to accept trust politics, trust
Industrial regulations, trust social reg
ulations, in short-trust civilization.
What kind Of civilization will the
trust give us?' We must Just Judge the
future by the past. The ascendancy Of
the trust means an" aristocracy: The
average trust means at random guess
means 100 actual proprietors OF an in
pending on it. There being but one
employer in~an Industry, and the hired
workers having no time to learn
variety Of trades in variety of in
dustries, he must suit this employer or
starve. AS an individual, he-~is' helps
less1y defehceiess against any exactio1s
OF his employer and totally dependent
upon his will. If organization or legts-
lation IL no defense, he is In the hands
Of an absolute power: The treatment
received at the hands of absolute power
is common matter in history. If the.
trust proves the paramount power, the
next social system will be a system Of
capitalistic feudalism.
The evils and final destruction which
would follow are apparent to al except
the large army who know nothing but
work" or business and do nothing
but try and make money. A final COM
plete victory for the trust means, a
wreck of democracy, modern intelli-
gent labor, and finally even of capital
ITSELF " ''
A preliminary test is now being ap-
piled. It IS far from being a final test,
and it's outcome whatever it is, will de-
ceive all those who jump to conclusions.
In fact, victory for the workers in this
contest may bring about defeat, and
defeat may lead to the adoption Of
ways and means which will insure fu-
ture victory. This is only the Begin
ming. Neither. Labor nor. the trust has
it's full strength. Neither side was pre-
pared for the conflict. Labor did not
have complete organizations nor a large
standing army of dollars all ready to
march to the field; neither did capital.
The steel trust was not fully organized;
the capital was not paid in; it had not
had any time Of peace in which to pre-
pare for war; it had no we'll developed
system of bribing strike breakers and
labor spies. Labor did not possess or
ganization among labor forces who
would be naturally allies. Labor as q
consumer is not ready to fight in this
contest. What allies the trust possess
ed were comparatively well organized,
but the trust possesses very few natu-
raj allies while labor possesses very
many. Many of these allies are not in
position to help. Some are totally un-
organized; others are not financial or
CARNATIONS, have no boarded resources
and hence cannot help in the hour Of
need; some that could strike blows
don't know how to: others that know
how don't see the necessity.
Here stands the present conflict there
fofe-a single labor corps OF the i'm
mense army Of labor, not we'll drilled,
having many new recruits and using
but one style of weapon, is engaged
with a poorly prepared, half organized
trust.
It Is clearly no test. The test will
come when the trust, fully equipped
and prepared and at it's strongest,
meets labor fully equipped and pre-
pared.
What will happen then? Destruction?
We do not think SO. Just as war, &C.
cordihg to M. de Bloeh's theory, by be-
coming terribly restrictive will make
war impossible, so will labor conflicts
cease for the same reason. When this
time comes both sides will see that It
is wiser to arbitrate than to fight; both
sides will have something instead OF
nothing to arbitrate; the hog on either
side will be ourbed, and Industrial peace
will dawn: :-,~~.
And in the meantime some contet1ding
parties may see what is coming land
decide that they may as we'll accept
arbitration and Industrial peace now, as
fight for long period and then accept
it.