Evening star., 1902-09-01

the rights OF labor, and willing and hle IN
assert and maintain them. They should,
likewise know the rights OF capital, and be-
wiling and able TO respect them. II is a
most reassuring fact that the principal
leaders OF the great labor organizations to-
day are men who have been chosen becausa
OF their sound judgment, their wisdom and
their integrity OF purpose. They must rea-
son with capital, and know the measure OF
the rights OF both labor and capital. and
how to secure a Just recognition of the In
terests which they represent. They must
possess not only the confidence OF labor,
but or capital as well, II they would accom-
plish the best results
That labor organizations have done much
10 advance the cause OF labor there can be
no doubt. They have been earnest advo-
Gates of education, knowing full well that
knowledge is real power. They have estab.
lished newspapers throughout the country,
intelligently devoted to the promotion OF
their interests. They have founded benevo-
lences and paid millions OF dollars TO their
membership. They have increased wages
where inadequate. and secured reasonable
hours OF service. They have abolished or
modified conditions In the sweat shops OF
great cities which were undermining the
health and morals of the opera tives They
have stood against the abuses of child la
Dor. They have taught the necessity OF the
observance OF contracts. knowing full well
that contracts are founded In honor and are
the basis OF commercial success. They have
increased and seek to maintain a higher
morale among their membership. They are
greater foe than they. They know that la
boris best interests are dependent upon the
maintenance OF orderly and stable goyern-
ment.
Good Can Be Accomplished.
There more than twenty-five thou-
sand local labor unions In the United States,
with a membership of more than two mill
Eons. What infinite good can be accom-
plished by this mighty army Of peace and
industry If held true to It's opportunity.
Its success will depend upon the character
of its leadership and upon its adherence to
sound and rational principles. 1t must
spurn those who would prostitute It to the
accomplishment OF mere selfish purposes or
political party ends.
zone of the functions of organized labor
Is to secure the recognition of its rights by
capital through pacific means War is de-
structfve. and labor wars are no exception
to the rule. 1t has seemed TO me that
through organized labor the misunderstand-
ing between labor and capital can be min
imized, turbulence and disorder largely
avoided, and that stable conditions may be
maintained. The strike should be the last
appeal and resorted to only when other
means of securing proper redress have
failed This is, indeed, the fundame ntal
theory upon which organized labor is
founded.
Dangerous Collisions
iHS SOAaiSAOIs DelWSSh pildt
have been many, and they have been de-
structlve. During the last twenty years
these strikes and iockouts involved a loss
to employees of, 1906. .6s3. 223 and to em-
ployers of S142. $50, ,104 Many millions more
have been lost to those who were not imme-
diately involved In the strikes, but who
were dependent upon the continuance OF
production, which was suspended. That
many OF these strikes were necessary there
can be no doubt; that some of them were
unnecessary and should have been avoided
there Is also no doubt.
I'VE have wished that contests 50 tre-
mendous in their results could reasonably
have been avoided, and that some rational
and effective method might have been de-
yised for their settlement The problem has
been recognized as a grave and difficult
one, and a satisfactory solution has been
earnestly desired Arbitration has been
much discussed and sometimes invoked by
mutual consent, but the difficulty OF estab-
fishing an arbitral tribunal in which both
interests would have absolute confidt nee
has been generally recognized.
Compulsory Arbitration.
Compulsory arbitration has been sug-
gested, but it has found few advocates. IL
is not acceptable TO either interest. and
wherever 1t has been attempted 1t has been
abandoned except In New Zealand. where
the experiment is not proving altogether
satisfacto and has not accomplished all
its authors hoped. Compulsory arbitration
Is regarded as an unnecessary and grieyous
Limitation upon the freedom of both labor
and capital. II reduces labor to slavery
and is a menace to capital. 1t IS destructive
Of free agency. The relations between these
two great forces are so delicate that they
are not to be governed by the rigid fiat OF
either the Congress or the legislature.
I'VE want no slave labor. Two million
men, with their blood, wiped away slave
labor forever. We want no labor, either
black or white, In a virtual state OF serf-
dom. Labor must be free. with all the pre-
negatives which pertain to freedom. IL
must be free to sell its commodity in the
highest market. So~capitaI must be like
wise free to buy labor where labor desires
to sell its commodity. There must be reo-
iprocity of privilege. reciprocity Of oppors
tunity."