Arizona republican., 1903-04-16
CURRENT COMMENT
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A Lesson From Holland.

The Iri:s ent troubles of Holla11 should serve as warning to those who would extend the functions of govern ment into the field of industry The basic facts in the case are these:
 Some months ago the Holland state railway employees struck for higher wages, shorter hours. etc. After con- siderably disturbing business and pub lie order the strike failed. The govern- ment regarded the strike as in the na- ture of a military mutiny, and proposed legislation making such conduct crimi- nal.
 The Dutch labor organizations re- garded this legislation as a direct at | tempt to deprive workingmen of the right to leave employments that did | not suit them, and against it declared a general strike, which has been more or less successful.
 There is no need here to discuss the justice or expediency of the proposed legislation. It will suffice to point out it's historic basis, and the distinction between industrial employment and public service on which it rests From time immemorial the public servant has been employed and has ac- cepted his employment upon condition 1 that he continue to discharge his func- tions until regularly relieved from duty 1 by superior authority. The right to abandon his post under any other cir cumstances has never been conceded to him.
 This is most clearly seen in the casa of the soldier-the first and oldest Of public servants. No state has ever con- ceded to it's soldiers the right to leave | it's service merely because they did nof | like it's conditions. Any strike of sol diers has ever been treated as a heir- ous crime.
 i The same theory was naturally ex- tended to ether public servants. The l United States, for example does not l permit a postmaster to relieve himself of responsibility for the property in his keeping, or for the performance of th, usual work of his office, merely by sending in his resignation. His re- | sponsibility continues until he is regu- larly relieved.
 Hence it was quite natural that the Dutch government should regard it's railway employees in much the same light as it's soldiers. and should en-
 
 | would mutiny of troops.
 The industrial employe differs from the public servant in that his work whatever inconvenience it's non-per- formance cause, is not of universal ne cessity. If all wage earning worB should cease it would be a great calam-
 ity but the state would still exist Bu;
 without servants to keep order and dc
 justice between it's people the state
 would cease to exist. And the state
 must preserve itself because without il
 human life would be a mere brute struggle for the survival of the strong est.
 Hence the difficulty of the Dutcf
 government is twofold. It is both
 government whose servants have Il,
 right to leave their posts, and an GIT, ployer whose employees cannot, withou enslaving them be compelled to worl when they wish to stop. And it is dIs
 qualified from sitting as q judge upol it's dispute as an employer with it's c1n
 ploye because it is party to the case
 Such is the anomalous and impossible position in which it's railway business has put the Dutch governments T which position it is compelled either [
 deny the right of wage workers t'
 leave their employment. or to yield t
 a mutiny of it's servants.
 The present troubles of Holland : which may result even in the loss of II :, independence, should be q lesson [ those who talk loosely about "nationa
 ownership" of industries as a safe an'
 easy policy. It is the province of gov ernments to regulate and control in
 dustry for the general welfare. Bu
 when they engage in industry they de
 scend to wrangle in the market plac
 and leave the judicial bench empty.-
 Chicago Inter-Ocean.
 p,;Iru,r No,b;d, Ciror,t+o,