Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-07-14
THE CAUSE OF THE CONFLICT.

The root Of the trouble between en-
ployers of labor and the organizations
called unions, Is in the arbitrary en-
deavor on the part Of the latter 70 pre-
vent non.u union workers from gaining
a living BY labor IN other words to
compel every workman to join a union,
nav the dues therein demanded and
place themselves under It's domination
TO effect this, the unions assume 10
dictate TO contractors whom they shall
or shall not employ They use the
fierce embodied in a strike" If a nom
Anion man receives employment on any
particular piece Of work, and they
choose the most critical times to do this
when the act is likely TO cause the
greatest damage to The contractor who
Is not willing to submit ID their tyfan-
ny.
Is not such course open to the
strongest condemnation? Should II
receive the support or countenance OF
the public press? Yet we find q morh-
ing contemporary apologizng for It IN
the following fashion: Stating that
there are two points to the dispute II
adds:
"The first Is the claim that notice was
given to the contractors In ample time,
that after May LIST OF this year, the rule
against working with non-union men
would be strictly enforced.
Second, that there is plenty OF union
men here 10 do all the work required
If the first statement Is true, then
the contractors should be estopped
from urging their claim that theS
don't know what the trouble Is about
for II they received that notice, and
employed non-unlon men after the date
named. they could not fail to know that
such act would make discomfort and
cause trouble
Speaking of the claim OF the contract
ors that they had TO employ non-unon
men because there was not union men
enough to do the work, that paper
argues;
1t Is not easy to see, therefore, why
there should be any prolonged or trou-
blesome strike here. II the unions can
supply all the labor needed. why not let
them do so? II they can't they ought
not TO retard operations by insisting
on point where the very conditions OF
the problem show that they have
failed"
The answer to ell that Is, the unions
have no legal or moral right TO dictate
to the contractors In any way what
ever. And there viii be a prolongatlon
OF trouble in the land. just as long as
the attempts to use this kind OF coer-
cion continue. To encourage them is
TO aid In the wrong The right TO em-
ploy union or non-union labor is inher-
ent in every person or company that
has need Of such work. To
say that an employer shah
not be permitted to engage such
workmen as suit him best, or that no
man shall be permitted TO work unless
he joins a certain society, Is tyranny IN
its most obnoxious form, and It ought
10 be resisted and stamped out Of ex-
istence.
The Idea that because notice Is said
20 have been served on contractors
they We're bound TO act upon II, and
turn away non-union worknen in their
employ is simply monstrous. And ihe
notion that employers must engage
only union workmen If there Us a sufi =
Client number OF them 20 do the work
required, and must not take on a nom
union man no matter how suitable he
may be, is as vile and Vicious as it II
absurd. Yet these are the ideas con :
tended for In the quotations We have
given above.
There ought TO be a concerted move-
ment among workmen 10 maintain the
freedom OF labor. This should be aided
by employers everywhere. And the
press OF the country viii help in the
perpetuation Of those liberties to Sc
cure which this government was found
ed. by advocating the right OF every
workman 10 obtain employment where
he Is wanted, and Of every employer TO
engage such help as he needs and
chooses, without dlctatlon from any
man or association ON the face Of the
globe.
Let workmen combine as closely as
they please for mutual benefit and i'm
provement. let them agree II they wish
not TO work more than 50 many hours
day, or for less than given scale
Of wages: but let them stop there and
refrain from using compulsion in any
form, upon their fellowmen who do not
" their own free win choose to join
their societies or submit TO their rules
The cause OF the conflict now on, here
and elsewhere, is In the wrong we have
indicated. II it Is not corrected, the
liberty Of labor viii exis; only IN name
And the coercion against which we pro.
test. unless overcome viii increase In
the world. until the time spoken OF in
The Apocalypse will arrive, when no
man can either buy or sell" employ
81 be employed, do any manner Of bus
ness or engage in any pursuit, unless
be hears 'the mark or the name Of the
beast or the union brand. or some
sign by which he may be known as
one Of the privileged let men unite
as much as they please for their own
benefit and restriction but LEI The line
81 drawn at the limit Of law and Of
ight-where It lnfringes upon the
rights Of other people.