Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-12-05
THE CORVALLIS GAZETTE.
FRIDAY, DEC. 8, 1862.
LABOR'S MISTAKE.

From time 10 tlliIe illSios h'o
occur which show the unir'endly
attitude of labor organizations to-
ward the National Guard. This
sometimes manifests itself by the
actual insubordinatiou Of mem
bers of the Guard, and sometimes
by the action of labor unions
,iisciplining members who serve
in the militia during strike trou-
bIes. At Plttsburg, during the
railroad riots of 1877, company
of the 14th Regiment gave such
unmistakable evidence OF active
sympathy with the strikers that
its disbandment became necessa-
nv. Union coal miners formed
its rank and file. During the
anti Chinese excitement i'll this
state some years ago a company
at Portland refused to take the
usual oath of enlistment. 1t was
composed of members of labor
organization which was notorl-
Gus for anti Chinese sentiments.
The company was promptly dis
armed and disbanded.
Just recently, at Uniontown,
Pa, union workmen forced the
discharge of a fellow workman
because he had been out with
the 10th regiment on duty in
the anthracite region. This is
the Pennsylvania regiment that
made such a fine record in the
Philippines. At Schenectady,
N. Y, a man was expelled from
the Painters Union because he
had served with his company
during the Glen's Falls strike.
His expulsion then threw him
out of employment in his town.
In a number of other places
trades unions have declared their
hostility 10 the militia.
The constitution of nearly
every state makes all able-bodled
citizens between the ages of IS
and As liable to military service
unless legally exempted. Every
able-bodied man owes military
service to the country and on oc-
casion it may be required of him.
When men oppose or obstruet
this right of the state their con-
duct smacks Of disloyalty.
1t seems improbable that all
members OF labor unions enter
tain such feelings toward the
militia, for this would at once
brand organized labor with a
fixed purpose of resorting to ex,
treme violence if thought neces.
sary to gain its contentious.
There can be no doubt, however
that the opposition of the unions
to the militia is grounded upon
the fact that the military arm in
terposes the only barrier to their
riotous conduct OF strikes. Up
on no other grounds may they
base their opposition, tor at no
other point has there been or in
deed can there be any conflict
between them and the military.
Labor could scarcely commit a
graver mistake than to attempt
to distroy or to weaken the pow
er of the state to inforce its laws.
ANY such attempt will eventuate
in the state providing herself
with a military force which will
act earlier acd strike harder
blows than it now does. Such
opposition would necessitate the
establishment Of a much larger
standing army than we now
have and possibly compel stated
service in the organized militia.
Nothing is more certain than
that the American people will
not tolerate a condition under
which any set of men may tram
pie law and order under foot
with impunity. The state will
always be virile enough to en-
force its laws at whatever cost.
1t is very probable that the
states of New York and Pennsyl-
vania will take early action con-
cerning this matter. The enact
ment of Congressman Dicks bill
for the naturalization of the or
ganized militia will make it by
far more reliable and efficient
than it now is, and this antagon-
istical attitude of the trade unions
will powerfully contribute to its
passage.
Let us hope that wiser coun-
sells than now will prevail i'll the
unions, and that labor may be
spared the reproach of disloYalty
to either state or federal govern
ment.