The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-24
SUNDAY, JULY "A. 1904.
The Neat Strike.

The resumption of the meat strike
emphasizes the complications which
invariably arise in trying to remedy
an evil that, in the logical and just
order of things, should never have
been permitted to come into being.
1t is comparatively easy to arbitrate
a case before a strike. 1t is exceed
ingly difficult to arbitrate it after a
strike.
Infamed passion and outrageous
self-will-not the simple matter of
economic right or wrong-are the
real causes for the bitterness. Of bat
ties between capital and labor. All
sane men earnestly desire to do right,
or if they do not desire it their expe-
rience teaches them that there is no
sure way to success except by doing
right
Consequently they would do right
as a matter of policy in adjusting the
controversies of capital and labor, if
passion and self-will did not momen-
tarily destroy the sound balance of
their sanity and drive them into fool
ish and indefensible actions. No one
neither the capitalist nor the labor
er-eVer gained a cent by a strike.
The strike, therefore, is the most I'M
businesslike proceeding of which a
business man can be guilty.
1t is probable that honest misun-
derstanding has caused the renewed
hostilities between the packers and
their employees. The indefinite word
ing of the agreement would indicate
as much. The men apparently un-
derstood from it that practically all
OF them were to have their jobs back
and that any who did not get work
would have the privilege of pleading
their cases before a board of arbitra-
tors after forty-f1ve days.
The packers, on the other hand,
evidently understood that they were
TO take back only the men they need
ed, but that they were 10 select these
men without discrimination The
men not employed at the end of for
ty-five days then had the privilege of
bringing before the board Of arbitra-
tors the matter of discrimination
only.
Ii must be acknowledged that a
careful reading Of the agreement be-
tween the strike leaders and the en-
ployers fortifies the position of the
packers. 1t may be possible that the
strike leaders were tricked into be-
lieving that only a few non-union
men were employed and that there
were places for nearly all Of the
strikers; but they should have guard
ed against that before they signed.
Under the agreement as it actually
reads, it is difficult to see how the
strike leaders are going TO substan-
tiate their charges Of bad faith on the
part Of the packers.
Whatever lesson there is to be
learned from the whole miserable
business is the seIf-evident lesson OF
self-control. Before the strike there
was no question of the men having
their jobs. They already had them
and arbitration would have been re-
Quired only on the economic points
in dispute. Now the complications
are vastly increased and the chances
of just settlement proportionately d.
minished
Compulsory arbitration has an IN
pleasant sound in the ears Of the av-
erage American, who starts in af-
fright lest there is embodied in the
principle of justice for all some mys-
FERROUS assault upon the fetish that
he terms his liberties. Perhaps judi
cial arbitration pleases him more
though the purpose Of each is the
same-to bring every labor difficulty
for adjustment before an Impartial
tribunal in its simplest form, before
passion and self-will have twisted tn,
impersonal issue Of right and wronl
into a drawn battle between person
alities.
Whether It be by compulsory arbi
tTation or by judicial arbitration. Ger
tain il is that the need Of protectin.
the public against constantly oc
curing internal disturbances de
mands definite action of some sort.