The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-12-05
LABOR TROUBLES.

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Editor Intermountain Catholic: Having read
III your last issue a brief review of the labor
troubles, | would wish to obtain your views still
further on that complex problem In the question
to be solved four parties, whom | shall designate
as A, B, G and D. are interested. | will call A
the government the people, Capital, and D la
Dor. d refuses to work for until certain con-
dtions are complied with. These conditions re-
fuses to accept. D, claiming the privileges of
tree man. will not be peon slave, and until
his supposed grievances are rectfed and his rights
acknowledged he will network. C acknowledges all
the legal rights of D, and beyond what he consid-
ers expedien and beneficial to his own interest will
not yield to the exactions of D. When the in
eyttable has been reached, and strike declared,
becomes interested. He apprehends starvation and
a coal famine, and appeals to A, the father of the
people, to solve the problem. He represents the
wants of the people and asks that they be remeded
No human government will allow it's citizens TO die
OF hunger when its granaries are filed to overflow
ing or freeze to death with superabundance of coal
within few hours reach of the people What is
the remedy for this disorder and dsorganzed state
of societyl JUSTICE.
Salt Lake City, Nov. 80, 1908
The problem suggested by our esteemed cor
respondent is knotty one and its solution seems
TO be beyond the reach of our wisest statesmen.
Our government recognizes and maintains the
equality of all men, Its fundamental principle
was, that equality a natural right, and the
fathers of our country adopted the principle of
equality between man and man as the most eff
caclous means of securing the moral and intellec-
tual growth OF its citizens. as well as their ma
ter1al prosperity. Social reformers who still wish
to carry this doctrine to its logical consequences
make war on all separation between capital and
labor. Where is your government theory of equal
ity,' say they, when one class of the community
owns the funds, and another class which is entirely
distinct, has to do all the work of production"
This class of performers see wide discrepancy be-
tween our theory and practice, and try to impress
on the working classes the injustice, by showing
that capital commands the lions share of the pro-
ceeds. The result of this teaching. together with
the enlightenment of the people, found
remedy for the evils of which they complained in
uniting their strength to preserve their rights and
advance their cause All this was natural and le-
gal, and, if universally adopted, would be irwin
chile. When united labor refuses to work and peo-
pie suffer and die because of their refusal the gov
er1ment cannot compel them to do So for does not
the government maintain their equality? We see.
then, no remedy which the government could an
ply to this phase of the case. AS long as the la
borer, united or disunited violates no law or does
not infringe on his neighbors' rights the govern
ment has no remedy to apply to his case. No law
can compel him to work, if he has means to sup
ply his wants and those of his family This dis
poses OF all remedies or interference with natural
rights But It the laborer is destitute and his FAM
lily suffers. law and order require that he work
Linen the work offered requires first that he sever
all connection with the union. What them Here
IS the knotty and complex problem which brinos
both capital and labor before the majesty of tho
law Both, viewing the legal aspects of their case
seem to be within the law. Capital owning the
property has the rightto say who shall do its work
1t considers dictation as to whom it shall employ.
violation of its rights Unions it considers mimi
cal to its best interests, and therefore refuses to
employ union labor. ONIONS" said shrewd bust
ness man to the writer few days ago, shave par
alyzed business in England and enabled the United
States to outstrip her in all modern industrial and
commercial undertakings" All this is undoubtedly
true and is the real bone of contentious but it does
not solve the problem The two powerful organi-
zations capital and labor arrayed against each
other. Both claim their natural rights which they
also claim to be legal. Our correspondent asks
what must be done to remedy this evil in behalf
OF Its citizens who are starving and freezing? Our
granaries are filled, out barren mountains are ready
to yield their enchanted wealth of fuel to the magic
touch of the pick. In the words of Thomas Car
lyle the United States SIS full of wealth. of multi
farious produce, supply for human want of every
kind yet the people suffer for want of bread and
fuel. What must be done to remedy this evil?"
Is the strong arm of the government poweress to
save the lives of its citizensl We are rich and
powerful, have extended our domain to the far-off
shores of the Pacific and the sun no longer sets
on our glorious emblem, "the Stars and Stripes"
But, in all our unequaled victories and triumphs
we must not forget the coal miner All our bat
ties and victories on sea depended on the produc-
ton of coal. Not only, then, to preserve life it
SELF but to perpetuate national life and great
ness, we must have coal But how obtain it, Labor
viii not submit to conditions which violate its in
alienable rights It realizes It's legal and natural