The San Francisco call., 1904-11-13

colt the dividing line between that
measure and the strike becomes oo-
vious The first rule in the case is tnat
the boycott shall be carried so far ana
only so far, as the purchasing power
extends Stated conversely, the Doy-
colt should not be carried beyond the
line of the purchasing power and into
the sphere Of the producing power, SO
as to require not only refusal to pur-
chase a certain commodity, but also
refusal to perform labor indirectly or
casually associated with its production
or distribution.
Unless this distinction be drawn 1t
is inevitable that there can be no stop
ping place between the boycott and the
sympathetic strike. The justification,
and, indeed, the imperative necessity,
of the rule here cited will be apparent
upon rejecting that a boycott prose-
cuted without regard to that rule would
involve untold numbers of workers in
callings more or less distinct and un-
connected. Such a boycott. so far from
being an appeal for public support
against certain employer, would be
merely an appeal to the labor move
= ment to commit wholesale suicide.
"A boycott so conducted as to in
volve any stoppage of labor becomes
in effect a sympathetic strike. In both
cases the principle is the same; cOnse-
quently in both cases the same objec-
tions apply. The principle, or rather
assumption. Of the sympathetic strike
is that the stODpage Of work is Of
necessity the most effective means by
which one body Of workers can render
aid to another The objection to the
sympathetic strike rests primarily upon
the self-evident wisdom of conhning
III 49,
smallest possible compass. By follow
ing the latter course the workers are
enabled to render financial assistance
to their fellows on strike; whereas by
going on strike themselves they not
only absorb their own reserve funds.
but shortly become claimants Of SYM
pathy from other bodies Of workers.
Thus the area of the sympathetic strike
enlarges by an inevitable rule of pro-
gression.
I'm essence the sympathetic strike is
q demonstration Of sympathy, as con-
tradistinguished from an act Of sub
stantial aid. The real principle Of the
sympathetic strike may be best defined
by the adage: Misery loves company
In the case Of the boycott the rule is
precisely the same. By continuing at
work, notwithstanding he may be
handling a bOycOtted article. the trade
unionist is enabled TO render material
cerned; whereas by quitting work he
merely adds his own weight to the bur
den of his fellows
Another established rule for the
prosecution of the boycott is that it
shall not be levied upon the product
Of union labor, notwithstanding the
employer Of such labor may be en-
ploying non-union. labor in other con-
nections. The boycott should not be
used against an entire establishment
as a means of affecting the sales of one
or more articles contained in the stock
in trade. The boycott should not be
placed upon company against any of
the partners in which there is no COM
plant for the purpose Of affecting one
OF more partners who may have fallen
under the ban because Of dealings in
another business. Finally, the boy
cott should be applied only to articles
of public use and upon the disposal of
which the public can exercise a de-
termining influence
Being in the abstract neither illegal
nor immoral, the boycott is to be ad-
judged and dealt with according to the
particular purpose and manner Of ap-
plicatiOn in each case in which il is
resorted to. Force, violence and men
aces of force or violence, whether used
in connection with the boycott or in
dependently of ii, whether resOrted to
by labor unions or by employers, should
always be strictly forbidden by law
and vigorously suppressed by the i'm
Partial enforcement of such laws. but
the appeal to reason, to sympathy and
to the moral support of the community
in favor of laborers in general or par
ticular classes Of labor or particular
laborers,. whether belonging to the
union or not belonging to the union
should always be encouraged and fairly
considered by every community as be-
ing the best possible process OF bring
ing the public conscience to bear in
regulating and determining the mutual
relations and obligations of all mem
bers of our complicated society to each
other in their Industrial and COM
mercial relations.
Such organized appeals to the pub
lie may and most frequently do involve
injustice and oppression on either
side. When capital is in the ascend
ency il is prone to oppress labor. not
for the purpose of oppression, but for
its own profit. When organized labor
is in the ascendency it is also in
clined to make extreme and unjust
demands, not merely for the oppres-
sion of employers, but for its own
gain and advantage. The just equi-
Hbrium must be reached by the pres
the great contending forces and in or
der that that public sentiment may
operate quickly and effectively to es-
tabIish a reign of justice and to pre-
vent the alternating periods of op-
preston by employers and by orBan-
ICED laborers each should be encOur-
aged to make its appeal peacefully
and respectfully to the public con-
science the public sense Of Justice and