The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-04-21
STRIKES WITHOUT CAUSE.

Strikes seem to have become so fash
ionable of late among organized LABOR
that the men sometimes seem to strike
just for the fun Of it. All sorts OF eA-
cuses are made for these strikes among
the latest strikes is that OF the plum
bers and timers of Columbia, .. C' LOT
which no reason at all is Inc
men went out and when some Oh them
were interviewed by a newspaper re-
porter as to why they had quit work
thew said they did not know. They had
no special grievances. but had quit
because they had been told to do SO.
This is indeed a peculiar condition.
When labor has grievances against en-
ployers its right TO quit work n to
attempt to remedy it's wrongs by strikes
is acknowledged on all sides; but labor
owes as nue. to society as does capital
and it should use its power to stay the
wheels of progress with care and judg-
ment. Strikes where there are no
causes should not be cOuntenanced by
the labor unions. They are injurious to
the cause of labor as to the interests
of the employers. They are also nom
sensical and will tend to work up d
prejudice against organized labor in the
minds of the general public, which is
apt to side with labor in any real griev-
ance it may have against capital.
In speaking of the recent strike of the
structural iron-workers on the subway
in New York The Nation had the fol-
>-y,- - --r- 4-o li- %ha 1rracnnrct-
bility of labor unions and the trivial
causes assigned for strikes:
IF organized labor has ever gone into
a more idiotic strike than that of the
structural ironworkers on the subway,
in this city, we cannot at the momen
recall it. There is absolutely no local
grievance. The men were at work under
an agreement with h contractor, made
last November, but this they have
better than the mud in the gutters-and
all for what? Why, the American
Bridge Company, which furnishes ma
terial for the subway, is employing a
Few nOn-union men in Pittsburgh! That
renders the iron "Scab," of course, and
the unionists here cannot consent to
defile their hands by touching it. Hence
~O NAAA% III ANN% VI LIN
agreement, and hence the threat to call
Out 45, 900 workmen to fight the Ameri-
a Bridge Company, the Steel Trust,
n all creation. Two things are to
be observed in connection with this
senseless strike. One is that it comes
hard Upon the report of the Strike
Commission, which spoke out so en-
phatiCally for the rights of the nom
union labOrer and called upon the I'M
ions to cease discriminating against
him. We were told that this would
have a great effect in diminishing the
intolerance of b unions; they would
be more considerate of the free work.
man Let the attitude of the irOnWork-
ers Drovid the fit comment on that
prophecy. Thew are filled with hatred
OF the nOnuniOn man, and care not
how much they inconvenience the pub
lie. This is the secod thing to note
about this strike: it sets the good of
the city at open defiance. What do we
care how lon you have to wait for
your subway? 1t used to be the selfish
capitalist who said, The public be
id" Organized labor has changed
all that. n is not the great disregard
er and cursor of the public"