Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-12-08
THE TASTY STRIKE.
ALMOST CERTAIN TO RESULT IN COM
 PLETE FAILURE.

Enlightened Trades UnioniSts No
 Longer Advocate Quitting Work.
 Such a Step Should Be Undertaken
 Only ns a Last Resort.
 During the past year many strikes were engaged in throughout the coun- try, that the industrial situation, lack of preparation of the unions and the aggressive attitude and preparation of antagonistic associations foredoomed to failure, says the Shoe Workers Journal. These strikes were premature and i'll advised and would not, or at least should not, have been entered into if proper restraint and foresight were exercised. Strikes of this nature are disastrous. They breed and intensity factional and diScordant feeling.
 When a strike offers the only solu- tion to settlement of pressing griev- anees a comprehensive study of the situation should precede it and the most favorable time chosen to project it. If the individual unionist could be brought to a realization of the rarity of failure attending thorough, com prehensive and disciplined organization and the greatly reduced probabilities of strikes occurring in such an organlza- tion, all unions would become cogent, carefully conducted organizations in- stead of incoherent, disharmonious ones, so often the case.
 The true enlightened union leaders of today are not advocating strikes and believe they should be engaged in only as a last resort. The strike in it's proper place and time is a union but tress, but out of it's proper place and prematurely it is a union weakness.
 The situation which makes strike necessary likewise makes necessary or ganization and conduct of the workers along the lines that would make strike effective.
 This the individual uhionist must be educated to appreciate; otherwise, as the employer becomes buttressed about Ijy strong organizations, strikes of the workers will show 6 larger percentage of failures.
 It would appear that often the rabid clement in union projects strike un- tler the suppositton that strike means nothing more than the mere quitting VII WOEh 1O1 u OAOIb RCA1Ud anu AV60AA St increased wages or improvements along the line that induced the strike. Strikes entail much more than the mere quitting of work. They may mean idleness for an indefinite time, suffering and each and every one of the losses and evils incident to strike which the union is far from being able to properly finance and cannot promote 4o successful issue because of lack of restraint and discipline prohibiting the united carrying out of the policy necessary to make the strike success ful.
 Tn everyN union affiliated with the American Federation of Labor-if there are any exceptions the writer does not know them-the executive officers fa- vor strikes only as last resort. The officers, commonly termed labor leaders, advise against and bitterly oppose the hasty, emotional strike. However, the strike vote is passed despite their ad- vice and protests and the organization plunged into a strike almost certain to be defeated.
 The situation should be carefully studied before entering into a strike and the advice and evidence presented by those qualified by experience and knowledge given intelligent considera tion. If this plan were followed the loss and distress incident to futile strikes would be eliminated, useless strikes projected by irresponsible hot heads done away with and only those strikes made necessary indulged in.