The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-04-22
LESSONS N THE: 2. 7.
SUBWAY STRIKE

SUBWAY SlR|kE
Joseph r. Buchanan, the veteral la
Dor editor, comments as follows on the
recent strike on the New York SUBJ
way system: /
The 1nterborough strike and it's re-
suits have taught some useful lessons,
not only to the strikers and working
men generally, but to the public.
IN the first place the public has
learned that the citizens of New York
did a foolins thing when they allowed
the Belmont syndicate to obtain con-
troll of the subway, which was built
with city money. It would be doubly
foolish to permit that orany other syn
dictate of private capitalists to control
one mile Of the projected new lines.
The public has learned that Belmont
and his ilk would, without the slightest
hesitation. make the people walk or
compel them to trust their lives to in
experienced hands rather than pay
competent employees enough to live half
decently upon. Over worked and I'M
paid employees and manned and MUIR
dered patrons are considered the nat:
ural prey of soulless corporations.
The public has learned, though not
by means for the first time, that the or
ganization Of labor are governed by
laws and that violations of these laws
are punished. The strike has shown
that the national organizations, the
controlling power Of the unions, insist
upon the sacredness of contracts.
It Is true that the local authorities
Of the Brotherhood believed that they
had grounds for dtsregarding their con-
tract, but their grounds consisted only
of techn1cality.
However, the most serious blunder
failure to carry its grievances through
the channels provided by the laws of
the organization. The refusal to sub
NIT the matter to Chief Stone was a
fatal error.
1t is true there are those who think
that If the strike had been on one
Of the big railroads, like the Pennsyl-
vanta, and involved men who are really
locomotive engineers. Mr.. Stone would
not have been in such hurry to turn
his back upon them, even II they had
struck without his sanction. Motor
men who, because of unusual circum-
stances, receive nearly twice the COM
pensation Of other motormen. might be
considered an embarrassment to an or
ganization Of locomotive engineers.
If that is the case there is a lesson
in the strike for engineers who become
motorman when their employers change
steam for electric power.
The Amalgamated men will probab-
ly be not so severely disciplined as the
Brotherhood men by higher authority
in the organization. While the Anal
gamated did not break contract with
the company by striking, the local men
forfeited all right to support from the
national organization by acting without
the sanction Of the national officers.
Whether they would have won the
strike If supported by the national or
ganization, no one can say.
One thing is certain however, If the
local had gone into the fight with the
consent of President Mahon, It would
have been In a position to ask for the
support Of the flremen in the power
houses and the electricians. The Anal
gamated association is affiliated with
the American Federation Of Labor, the
Brotherhood of Engineers is not.
The experience Of the local ANAL
gamated shows the risks local union
takes when 1t attempts to ''go it alone,,;
when it disregards the laws and GUS
toms of the national organization.
1t is true President Mahon might
have refused his consent to strike.
Well, that would have been preferable
to the present situation: deplorable as
were the conditions under which the
men were working before the strike.
Mahon was not offended because Of
no false notions about his official dig
nifty. He was not "sore' because he
was ignored by the local officials of
the Amalgamated, but as the chief off,
Ger of the organization he had to be
guided in his action-or non-action-
By the laws of the organization.
No order Of expulsion has been or
will be issued against the local Anal
gamated men; they have been punished
enough.