United labor bulletin., 1909-10-08
(By Eva Mcdonald Valesch. Assistant
Editor American Federationist)

HuDnc attention mas recently DteH
rather forcibly directed to the fact that
labor unions are not responsible for all
strikes. Within the past few weeks
many thousands of unorganized work
men struck at the plant of the Pressed
Steel Car company at McKees Rocks and
at other steel plants in that section.
Not only were these men without
union organization. but they were un
skilled laborers and foreigners, most OF
whom had only recently arrived in this
country many of them could not even
speak English.
This strike emphasized a new and
hopeful trend in the industrial situation
in this country. Among the employers
who are so unscientific as to refuse to
deal with union labor. it has been as
sumed that it was a perfectly safe prop
osition to employ the unskilled and re-
Gently arrived immigrant of the Slav
race. 1t was supposed that his ignor-
ance and his previous low standard of
living and his inherited patience under
bad treatment would make him incapa-
BILE of resenting the very low wages and
oppressive treatment which it might be
inadvisable to offer to the American
workman with his better education and
higher standards of living.
Judging from recent events it would
seem that the Slav workman has lmpib-
ed some ideas about personal freedom
and the dignity of labor. though where
or how he got them would be difficult to
discover. considering the conditions un-
der which he works in this country.
The account of the war-like tactics
adopted by the steel company in the re-
cent trouble brings forcibly TO mind the
historic Homestead strike Here were
the same fortified enclosures, the utiliza-
tion of private police to aid and protect
the imported strike-breakers, the calling
out of the state constabLlary. the same
rioting and violence as soon as the con
stabulary and strike-breakers appeared
on The scene the same assertions of the
company that it INTENDED TO run its bust
ness in its own way and if the employees
did not like the treatment they received
they had the right to quit"
This attitude was not for the purpose
of establishing the open shop nor was
there any hypOcritical announcement of
desire to deal impartially between non
union and union workmen. The steel
company frankly stated that it intended
to treat its workmen as justly or unjust
ly as it chose and to tolerate neither re-
sistance on the part of the employees,
nor interference on the part of the pub
lie. 1t was a clear-cut program on the
part of the employers to bid defiance to
its workmen and to the public in its
pursuit of private profit in business.
This is the logical sequence of the open
shop" argument. but even the pretext
was cast away in this case. The strike
of the Slav workmen was one of the sur
prises in attempting to carry out tine
program. In this strike-no matter
what its immediate result-lies the only
the workmen themselves and for the
general public.
If employers of the steel company and
packing house and coal mining type were
to so on for years without any sense of
their just obligations TO their employees
and to the public which protects them
and gives them an opportunity to do
business: if they were able to secure an
unlimited amount of foreign labor too
timid and ignorant to resent injustice.
then. indeed. would the industrial future
of this country look dark and we might
well doubt if any restraining influences
could later be successfully applied once
the system of working only to produce
profits without regard for any other fac
tor in the situation was strongly en-
trenched. The strike of the Slav work
men in this instance is only forerunner
OF what may be expected from the Same
type OF workmen in other industries
where n similar policy is pursued. They
will have to be reckoned with in the
future. These workmen have already
some glimmering of the employers duty
to them and their children in tnis tneir
adopted country. They are beginning to
realize that the right 10 quit" is not a
good foundation upon which to educate
themselves and to bring up their child
rem as good citizens. They have regis
tered their first serious protest against
the sort of exploitation which offers as
the only redress the right to quit"
Doubtless they have a long and weary
way 10 travel before their problem win
be solved. but the circumstances or this
reespt strike We're so dramatic and strik-
ing in many ways that public sympathy
eign workmen will be likely hereafter 10
be more successful when they show
disposition to help themselves. Hereto
fore they have had every reason % be
lieve themselves forgotten by God and
man. 1t may be argued that the disp6Bi