The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-18
THE FOLLY OF STRIKES.

1t is probable there are but few intelligent
convinced that strikes are costly, foolish
and inadequate remedy for labor griev-
ances. Younger men. aggressive in the as
sertion of their rights and many Of them
without family ties or other restraints,
look at the matter from a different point
of view and without the light of expert
ence. They have yet to learn that in
large majority OF cases more can be &C
complished by corciliatory methods or by
arbitration than by strikes, and that the
latter are always costly and often failures
They have yet to learn that. rule, the
advantages gained by strikes are not equal
to the losses. They have yet to learn that
by far the greatest number and the most
important concessions to labor In the way
OF increased wages, etc, are the result OF
voluntary action on the part of employ
ers, and that the bad feeling engendered
by strikes is fatal to such concessions.
Older workingmen have learned these
things by experience, and they do not en-
gage in strikes unless they are forced into
them by the orders of unwise leaders or
by the rash action of younger men.
AS far as any conclusion can be drawn
from the statistics OF strikes in all coun-
tries where labor unions exist it goes to
discredit strikes. They often fail entirely,
and when they succeed in whole or in part
it Is at enormous cost. The annual report
OF the United States commissioner Of labor
shows that during the ten years from 1891
to 1901 there occurred in the United States
2.793 strikes involving 1850 establish
ments They threw out of employment
6.105.694 employees an average of twenty
four days, making a total of 1885, 656
working days. The loss in wages was
s237, ATS and the loss of employers was
s122, 7s1, 121. OF the entire number of strikes
81 per cent. succeeded. Is per cent. partly
succeeded and So per cent. failed. What
ever advantages were gained by the strikes
that succeeded, and in many cases they
were trivial, it must be admitted that they
were gained at enormous cost. The
statistics of strikes in other countries are
not more favorable, In Great Britain dur
involving 23o.267 persons and causing an
aggregate loss of 1O,S45,52S working days
OF the entire number of strikes "A per cent
failed, p per cent. succeeded and "a per
cent were compromised. A labor dispute
that is compromised at the end of a strike
could always be better compromised before
1T begins. In France, during 1898. of 36s
strikes, involving S2,065 persons. Is per cent
succeeded, 40 Per cent. succeeded partly
and A per cent. failed. During the year
1899 there were 623 strikes, involving 136, 256
persons and causing a loss of 8, .9S5 work.
ing days. The statistics do not show the
cost OF the strikes nor the number that won
or lost. OF 324 strikes that occurred in
| Austria Hungary during the year 1892 six
| ty-nine resulted in favor Of the strikers,
los in favor of the employers and 40 were
compromised. The strike statistics of the
| United States are more complete than
those of any other country and they are
more conclusive in showing the enormous
cost of strikes to both employees and en-
ployers and the large proportion of total
failures.
There are no statistics available to make
| a comparison between the advantages
gained for labor by strikes and those vol
unfairly granted by employers. but it is
safe to say that the latter far exceed the
/ former. Since the beginning Of the great
industrial revival following the first cleo
| ton of Mckinley, in 1896. there have been
/ hundreds of announcements IF volunta rv
increases in the pay of wage earners all
over the country. In many instances en-
ployers have given their employees on
| Christmas or New Years day dividend
on the years wages. and in quite a number
! OF cases they have been made profit
| sharers. Such advantages are never gained
/ by a strike. In the same category must be
ranked those granted by many employers
in maintaining for their employees club
rooms. reading halls. gymnasiums. lunch
rooms. etc. Such things never come as the
result OF a strike. They are indicative of
a state of peace and mutual good will be-
tween employers and employees, while a
/ strike is simply declaration of war II
/ the present anthracite coal strike sue
ceeds. giving the miners a small increase
| OF wages. the accumulation OF the increase
during the lifetime of all the men engaged
in the strike will not equal the loss it will
cause to them and their employers. In
short, reason, experience and statistics all
| go TO show that as supposed remedy for
labor grievances strikes are foolish, costly
and in the long run utterly inadequate.
Their moral influence in promoting bad
blood and distrust between capital and
labor is bad beyond any possibility OF COM
| putation.
| SENATOR HANNA on INDUSTRIAL