The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-09-01
CARDINAL GIBBONS GIVES COUN-
Sci ON THE GREAT CUES
TON NOW INVOLVED.
He Deeply Deplores the Present Con-
ditions-Gives Good Advice to
All Concerned.


tude of labor and capital. l have
never questioned the right of working
men to organize Indeed, l am firm
believer in the efficacy of organization,
especially when it is applied to work
ing men and women. 1t is the one
method by means Of which wage earn
ers may better their condition and en-
force their rights" says Cardinal Glib
bOns.
But such organization should be
brought about and maintained by
peaceful methods and without force to
Individuals To attempt to coerce men
and women to join the unions by de-
claring that those who do not join them
shall not be employed in the same
work with those who do belong is to
take a step which, in my opinion, will
ultimately result in disaster to the
unions, especially when accompanied
by physical force, as is too often the
case IN recent ldDoT ulStuIpdllCeo.
These acts of violence, whether
committed by members of the unions
can nave but one effect-the aliena-
ton of many who are now consistent
friends of the workingmen and believ-
ers in their right to organize for their
own protection.
MY attitude in this respect has al
ways been clearly defined. l believe
not only in the right of workingmen
to organize, but l believe it to be their
duty to do so. Membership in such or
CARNATIONS should, however, be purely |
voluntary. Anything resembling cOer- |
cion in that connection should not for
a moment be tolerated, whether that
coercion be moral or physical.
Il do not wish to be understood as
labor organizations of actual participa- |
ton or even of melting the many acts /
recently occurred in various parts of
the country, and which seem to be in
creasing in frequency and malignancy. /
In fact, everything indicates that it is /
rather the work of those who SYM /
pathze with the men who are engaged |
in the struggle and to this extent at
least it may be said to create a preju- !
dice against labor organizations not /
justified by the facts.
1t may be also said that the course
of the leaders of the unions in denying
to non-union workmen the right to
seek and obtain employment whenever
and wherever the non unionists see fit, |
is to no little extent responsible for the
many acts of lawlessness which are
committed by outsiders, who are but
carrying to its logical conclusion the
indefensible position of the organiza-
tons and labor leaders in that respect
ITO demand the dismissal of nom
union men for no other reason than
that they are nom unionists is, in my
opinion, but modified form of coer-
cion. which naturally begets actual vi
oience in the struggle that frequently
follows the refusal upon the part of
employers to comply with such de-
mandS
AS an earnest friend of the labOring
man l can but wish that he and his
leaders shall adopt less coercive meas
ures. Let them gain their end by
peaceable rather than by forcible
means, by persuasion rather than
threats by arbitration rather than by
strikes and lOckoutS. Labor is strong
enough to be just, and unless 1 am
mistaken union workingmen will ul-
tmately find it to their advantage to
increase the membership of their or
CARNATIONS by voluntary enlistments
brought about by the education of their
felloW-labOrers to an appreciation of
TIE manifold advantages resulting from
union of interests nationally and law
fully applied