The labor world., 1905-10-21
llIl|Bl0R's | A .|| / / . DEFEAT ! and 1! D
!. VICTORY I|G;'| DR. IN AUSTRALIA ]
Remarkable Story Of Labor's
Industrial Set Back, and
Political Victories.
Now That the Workers Have
Governmental Power They
Get Concessions.

wv u AAA&40AAkeSA d SWVA S>>~J
Get Concessions.
The following interesting narrat tive
of industry and political history IN
Australia appeared in the October
number of the Open Shop, organ Of
the National Metal Trades Associa-
ton, copied from the Kansas city
Independent. Doubtless the signif1-
canoe of this fact is that the open
shop plutocrars desire to keep them-
selves posted upon what Is occurring
among the workers something which,
we are compelled to admit, many
workingmen utterly neglect, and, there
fore, their ignorance all the more
pitiable.
We trust that every reader of the
Labor World will carefully peruse this
article (Which was written by Hugh
O'Neil, an Australian, who doubtless
leans toward the capitalistic side OF
the fence) and pass it along to their
neighbors and friends. 1t is highly In
structiVe and the lesson 1t teaches
ought to be generally Known, no mat
ter what industrial or political views
the reader may hold. To the story:
1t was Malcolm Dorald MacEacharn,
ship owner and capitalist; who de}iv-
cred the Commonwealth of Australia
to the Socialists :" He is the one Con-
servative on the continent that the So
cial1sts fight without malice. J'hey are
under a debt Of gratitude to the ship
ping millionaire, and the bitterest Of
fense he suffers is the occasional re-
minder Of that fact.
or course MacFacharn didn't want
socialism, He only wanted to break
the power of the trades unions. He
thought that their exaction had be-
come intolerable and there was sonic
justification for that view. Strikes
were common and frequently the cause
Of quarrel was trivial. But the strik-
ers were always successful because
the country was being flooded with
British money, and the voice of the
boomster was abroad in the land. The
union leaders were ignorant Of all
economic laws, and they nastook the
existing condition for one of natural
prosperity. (That's where they made
their mistake.)
MacEacharn knew better than that.
He knew that the burst would come
sooner or later, and he prepared to at
tack labor on a falling market. He
figured to smash the unions and re-
move the heel OF aggressive democracy
from the throat Of capital. A partial
victory was not what he wanted. He
was after the Whole hog. He. got it.
(That's where he made his mistake.)
But all the same he, was a great man.
A much greater than Farley, the
"strike BREAKER who is now :operat-
ing in Chicago. He was no; strike
breaker.''s He: didn't even break un-s
ions. He worked with cold peffssistence
through, four patient years and then.
smashed up unionism; on the, whole
continent forever and ever and ever
and ever. 500" '"*- ~ ~ 500 -' ~4
The unionists were lions LED by
asses. MacEacharn knew that. Time
after time the shipping union made
demands upon his company, time af-
ter time he" granted these demands
with smiling readiness. But day after
day he went on building together the
units Of a force to fight trades union
ism that was destined to sweep or,
ganized labor out of-~existenee. The
plan was colossal, but the solid pa
thence with which in the meantime he
bore the CALLING exactions of the trades
was quite as great.
And then one day he loosened his
thunders and struck hard and straight
and true. He chose the time of battle,
the cause of battle, and the place Of
battle, The unions chose nothing.
They were arrogant with riches, drunk
with victory.
The cause of the quarrel was childish
as MacEacharn meant it should be.
A difference arose between tho quar-
termaster and the steward of one of
his coasting steamers over the charms
of a atewardess. The captain, to-
settle the difficulty, as he thought, poor
nian-discharged the sailor. The union
demanded his reinstatement. Mac
Eacharn, knowing what the reply
would be. offered to put him on an
other ship. The union demanded re-
instatement on the same ship. Mac
Eacharn In very courteous terms point
ed. out that that was impossible. Then
the asses who had led the lions told
him that unless the reinstatement was
effected within twenty-four hours they
would call the crews off all his ships
and order general strike ~: ~"s> -
= Then, like flash, MacEacharn un-
masked his guns. Back went the re-
ply that the unions might strike and
be damned. -~
The strike was ordered. And then
there followed a battle grim ana great.
Union after union was called out, ship
after ship was laid up; state after state
was involved IN the quarrel, until the
sss ses ns as xtsa ns snass as.
evsry eve s ceastins a ztesmer s Were : drawn;
The trade of Australia was paralyzed:
Four hundred Thousand ,inioIists were
idle, and every man man Of them was
drawing; hall pay. r. llso every -uinem-
ployed man who looked ike becoming
=