The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-05-23
.SIGNS OF PEACE
IN LABOR WAR
THERE IS NOTHING SERIOUS IN
THE STRIKE SITUATION.
RAILROAD PROBLEMS GREAT
Parry Not Factor to Which Much
Attention Need Be Paid-Labor
Battles Being Fought.

from the present strike situation in the
United States. Take the country over
and the month Of May has been a re-
markably peaceful one, with the prob
abilities that the first of June will see
a dearth Of such labor news as the
daily papers have been printing the
past two weeks. Outside Of New York,
Omaha, Kansas City and Chicago, the
numbers involved in labor disputes are
comparatively small; and even in
these storm centers the actual number
Of strikers, in comparison to the num-
Der keeping at work, is really insight
ficant. What, for example, does the
few thousand striking men and women
of Chicago signify, compared to the
100000 or more steadily following their
daily occupations?
Some Of these strikers, to be sure,
are inconveniencing part of the public.
The Chicago laundry workers strike is
good example. But suppose some
people are compelled to wear their
shirts and collars shade or two dark
er than usual, it is no killing matter.
Besides, while the laundry workers
makers have been unusually busy, 50
that the wage losses in one direction.
have in part been made up by gains
elsewhere.
The only thing at all serious in the
labor situation is the possibility of some
Of the great railway lines becoming
involved. Transportation is actually
part OF production. 1t gets the raw
material to the factory and it takes
the finished product to the door of the
consumer. Without these processes thu
others in the world of production are
futile or ineffective. To stop transport
tatfon, then, threatens to disarrange
not only the work of the railroads, but
all other business. It menaces the liv>
ing of all the wage-workers of the coun-
| try, outside Of the strictly agricul-
tural workers; and even these, were
the strike stp beSprol longed, sWou ould salgo
NtssI lsstf 8 ateppas
f<It t.is hopped that I the rising tide 81
/ pubic: opinion in favor of arbitration
| will help the railroad officials of the
country to reolize that they can no
longer refuse to meet organized labor
and discuss the situation. And, too,
the leaders are kept within bounds, and
not allowed to involve the whole coun-
try by paralyzing trade because of real
or fancied wrongs.
Just what the effort Of organized
labor in Omaha to take advantage of
! the complacence of judges in issuing
injunctions will amount to, it is not
! Of hi
however, they have as good a right to
invoke the aid of the law as have these
business men,, who do not hesitate to
| threaten, boycott, or blacklist all who
| do not do their bidding.
| 1t is possible that organized labor
! may be lose" the majority of the
| strikes now on. That is, they may be
"lost" in the sense that the toilers will
be compelled to return to work with
out gaining any or all Of their demands.
But in most cases strikes thus lost are
really gains in the Industrial world.
They teach the employing class the
danger, the inconvenience and the Pc
cuniary losses strikes and lockouts in
volve; and this class cannot be taught
these lessons in any other way Mean
while employees get rest they obtain
new view points of the Industrial stu.
alton; and finally they rally around
their union leaders and prepare to
make other strugglers for greater in.
dustrial freedom through shorter hours
and more pay.
D. M. Parry has shot off his mouth
again, this time at Buffalo. Mr. Par
ry represents the old style employer
rather than the twentieth century cap,
tain of industry, and it is certain that
he will in due time sink into oblivion
Even in his own organization his ut
terances are discredited by such man
ufacturers :ras Hamilton Carhartt vi
Detroit and Mayor Jones Of Toledo
What he says does not stir the worlc
Of organized labor any more. He is
locked upon as unrepresentative Of til:
I average employer, and while interesl
attaches to his public utterances, art
they are read mitch as are the funny
isms in the joke column, they make
no lasting impression, at the most onl:
serving to increase the vigilance Of tn,
pickets on the firing line Of the: trad,
union army: - j.. HI r., r: l.:
Labor conventions are being 1#helt
/ Throughout the country, the most i'm
portant being the Order of. Railroa.
Conductors now in session at Pittsburg
, These gatherings are of interest to tn
public, though OF: greater :importanc
to the trades Immediately involves
They are as much social as busines
, gathering gs,, and after all la*..it. is righ
that this is the case That is the wa!
for: delegates to s. get acquainted. 4 e. a
the banquet table, oughs the smok
of5 some union: ma de isars,. and eve
soyertheS foam schuper' 81 ! tWe
4 s|zStsclose come ctiors use = raj lroa
. phra Sc, ar mad de,,Ha nd the real sbusines
4 LOT the convent ion prop tatel
5S|5 Speeches have hei q lace but socia
& lz1|SsconYsr aIsos necesslt SUD
u social m esss re5sE aYera labo