Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-10-01
SYMPATHY STRIKES.
SAMUEL GoMPeRS SAYS THEY ARE
BOTH LEGAL AND MORAL.

Some strikes Ma, re Foolish. but
Nose IL Uniawsui-As to Violence.
labor Union omciai- Never Advise
or Encourage NJ.
Few earnest thinF ing men i'm the la
Dor movement advocate strikes. In
fact. nearly all endeavor by honorable
means To avoid and avert them. There
are fewer still who advocate sympa-
thetic strikes. We are not concerned.
however. with the consideration of
strikes or sympathetic strikes per Sc.
but their legal and moral aspects
What is sympathetic striker Ii is
strike of men without a personal or
material grievance i'm support OF other
men on strike for personal. self regard
Ing ends. Is such a strike Illegal!
Certainly not AS l have said hun
dred times. and AS the courts concede.
a man may quit work for any reason
whatever, good. bad or indifferent
II A. strikes TO help b.. his act may
be foolish or wise. but IL il not Grim
inal. Not all sympathetic strikes are
expedient and wise. but exactly the
same thing may justly be said OF the
other kind of strikes
Are personal or self regarding strikes
dangerous To society? No sane man
will answer yes If they were. the
right would not exist-would not he
recognized OF conferred by law. But
neither the law nor the moral code
makes any distinction between a self
regarding ana an aitruiStic or synpa-
thetic strike: hence the latter kind is
as lawful ami moral as the former.
The question of cXpediency must be
determined i'm each particular case in
the light of the facts. precisely as in
the other clLsS Of strikes.
No general principle exists to show
us in advance what strikes are req
sonshle likely 10 succeed and well adj
viScd and what are foolish and fore
doomed Ia failure. The question OF
law and morals Is. however. a general
question. IL depends on no special
facts assert without fear of contra
diction :hat sympathetic strikes. like
selfish strikes. are lawful and morally
proper when orderly and peaceable
AMI noniuvaSive.
Where is ,he sympathetic strike 10
end" asks a New York paper There
is Il natural and economic limit To any
strike. Unions. like other human
bodies. have 10 consider the PROBABLE.
ity Of success. the means nj their dis
poSal. She rcaSOnablcuesS of this or
that step. n this be- deemed INSULT.
cisnt pro ection' against universal
amt intcrminahle strikes. l invite the
Ia 81
Where would they draw the line ON
strikes: II what point would legality
end and crimnality begin I'm mere
passive suspension OF work. The uues
tionS are unanSwcrable. as Il little ie-
Election will SHOW. In fact. most OF The
antisympathctic strike talk is So loose.
and confused that IL is next 10 impos-
siblc to deal with il systematically.
When everything else fails. strikers
are denounced IN sweeping terms as Il
laWlc,s. dsorderly lot. habitually re
sorting to personal violence and as
Saults ON property. This imprcsscS he
thoughtless and prejudicsd. but il can
not deceive the intelligent and judi
cious. No labor union or officer has
ever advised. encouraged OF even toll
Grated violence in strikes OF any sort.
and there * no issue here TO discuss
prOiitably.
Ii may be added OH the lower plane
OF argument that frantic cries 10 stop
sympathetic strikes are idle and vain.
No legislation can be framed OF en-
forced that would prevent or suppr, -
sympathetic strikes. while permit ing
the other NShat / have called self re-
gardingl kind of strikes.
/ Imagine AN extreme case. a law say.
/ ing that no man shall ever quit work
except for Il personal grievance. Would
| not such law Ice as barren and void
/ In practice as il would be tyrannical
! In intent? Cannot the man who wishes
to strike sympathetically allege or III
vent a personal grievance? What is To
prevent him from making demand
for higher pay or shorter hours at the
precise moment when he is expected
TO quit in aid of fellow wOrSmenf This
hint sufficiently discloses the absurd
! " of the attempted distinction be-
tween strikes OF the two kinds named.
Organized labor has the highest re-
gard for contracts and agreements ELI.
tered into with employers and seldoE
violates them. Our enemies might
well turn their shafts Of criticism to
ward the employers who so glibly de
clare there is nothing to concede. moth
ing To arbitrate. and who lock out then
employees where no grievance of any
kind exists between themselves anC
their employees merely out OF sym
pathy with another employer who ma
be engaged in controversy with hi!
employees.
The employers who dislike sympa
thetic strikes can do a great deal {,
reduce their number and severity b.
adopting the following methods:
By treating their workmen as sci
respecting, Independent men should b
treated.
By repudiating the bourbons VIII
still persist i'm antediluvian talk agains
recognizing unions"
BY creating a general sentiment /
favor Of equity TO organized labor an
of Cancellation and arbitration.
Until they have done that the sym
pathetic strike will remain n part O
, labor's plan of campaign and will b
employed when essential to labor's pro
! lection against aggressive capitalist
who openly or cOvertly aid those VIII
p, | make war on us. In fact. il may be
come more and more prominent as tn
solidarity OF labor finds expression /
compact. great, organic declarations G
various trade unions. Labor will r.
lirGriSh none of its legal OF NOR:
wcapo'.s Z" cbliSe rs enemies san