The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-06-10
OPPOSING HORCES.

D. NJ. Parry, the whilom president OF the Ma
tional Citizens Industrial Inion has repeatedly
taken advantage of that position of dubious honor
to vent his envenomed spee1 against labor union
ism. His retirement therefoe, might be hailed by
all patriotic citizens with ni1ch joy were 1t not
for one unfortunate circumstance: the announce
ment that that organization has decided upon
prosecuting an even more aggressive campaign IN
the future under the Leadership of Parry success
sor, C. N. Post of Battle Crek, Mich
1t is to be sadly deplored that men OF this rash
and reckless ik cannot be sunmarily squeched. To
deliberately undertake to rfhlessly deprive the
toiling producers of the land Of of their con-
sttutiona rights, is to engage in, criminal con
spiracy-impcit if not expicit and the CON
spiracy is all the more reprelensible because the
censpirators men of large afalrs-promment
manufacturcrs-an because heir methods are to
be those of craft and cunning
And this suggests an additional reason why
the wage-earners should receive the sympathy and
support of all far-minded people in their resist
ance to the unjust aggressions of corporate greed
and rapacity. The votares 0, the latter may ply
their nefarous schemes directed against the sacred
interests of their employees. without arousing the
attention of the public whilst the latter have but
one means of defending thost interests, viz to
Strike" 1t thus happens that an employer can
force upon his employees intolIfrably onerous con
ditions, or compel them to have recourse to a
measure that will necessarily invite upon them the
blame of the public for any Inconvenience that the
latter may experience OH account of any conflict
that may result
The grievous injustice of this state of affairs
must become apparent to all who will give it
moments reflection. AS, under prevailing condi-
tons, the strike is the wage-eaners' only defence
against the injustice of their employers, they are
assuredly entitled to the moral support of favor
able public sentiment whenever they engage in
such conflict for a good and sufficient To
be sure it is all but impossible for the public to
determine the essential merits Of controversy be-
tween employees and employers in many instances,
but the burden of proof should clearly rest with
the latter: the people should accord the toiling
masses their sympathy and support unless they be
clearly shown that the demands they would enforce
by means Of a strike or unjust and unreasonable.
And this, the sole means at the command of
wage-earners to protect themselves against the
greed of constituencies employers is only available
through labor organizations Any attempt, there
fore, to crush these organizations should meet with
the strenuous opposition of the public. Aside from
the inalienable right of peacefully organizing for
any lawful purpose-which consideration should of
itself amply suffice to deter any law and order low
ing citizen from entering into conspiracy to de-
feat such right-the fact that the sacred veal of
numerous and most deserving class of American
citizens absolutely depends upon an unimpeded
exercise of that sacred right should enlist i'll their
behalf the ardent sympathy and unqualified sup
port of every right-minded and patriotic citizen.
1t is earnestly to be hoped that the penicious
of "Thc National Citizens Indus
trial Union" will be discountenanced whenever and
wherever it shows its head. The sooner the men
that compose its membership taught to realize
that labor unionism is here to stay, the better it
will be for the peace and prosperity of the Ameri
AN nation.