The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-05-14

b.. "A ulChudlll0 1OF d VIII
Iengages for lower wages, than are /
fixed by a Trade Union, also for one
who taxes the place of workmen on
! q strike" -" r.
The American Educator describes
| the word "Scab:" ....
| "A mean, paltry, dirty fellow. A
! workman. who continues to work
during a strike Of his fellows ~
The Century Dictionary defines
| the word 'Scab:" z. =.
"A workman who is not, or who
refuses to become a. member of a
| Labor Union. or who, refuses to join
| in strike, or who takes the place
! of a striker"
You now understand the .defni-
ton Of the word "SCAB.''
! With a view of having you ~un-
derstand the opinion of the greatest
and highest salaried newspaper ed
itor in America regarding the
''Scab,' we herewith reprint and
present you, an editorial published
in the New York Journal: 49,
The ''Scab'' Is Well Named.
! Any worker who sides against his
| fellows and helps break up strike,
is indeed a "scab" on humanity. His
nature is combination of hyena,
hog and shark.
The fat man, with full stomach,
'1ard heart and selfish blood, has a
naughty way of settling questions
that he does not understand. "
Most sickening of platitudes. most
nonsensical of nonsense concerning
mans relation to man is the CUSTOM
ary talk about the "scab' workman.
number of men combine to bet
ter their condition. The law will not
help them-it considers only supply
and demand and the rights of the
property. Public opinion helps
them.
They must strike, and their only
hope is in THEIR OWN COURAGE
AND THE LOYALTY AND DE-
CENCY OF OTHER WORKMEN.
They are making a sacrifice for
their wives and children. They are
fighting one Of the fights that grad
ually bring up the scale of living to
grade Of decency.
And each time their enemy ap-
pears in the form of other workers
Every time that men, hard pressed,
strive to better themselves, there
are creatures to take the places Of
the men on strike.
And what does SNUG prosperity
say to this? What is the attitude
toward the "scab'' of those who
should be at least sympathetic?
They talk balderdash about: the
fright of the laborer to work where
he will
They shrek and howl this tune:
'The sacred right to earn 1iv-
ing must not be interfer4dH with.
Whatever else happens, remember
that any man may sell his labor to
whom and where he pleases, to do
what work he pleases." {:
Sick"ning hypocrisy, HEARTLESS
hypocrisy! .
When this nation is fighting an
other n&tion do we allow any of our
men to sell "his work" to that other
nation?
Suppose an American in the Phil
1Qpines were starving, and sold his
muscles and fighting ability to our
enemy. What would happen? Would
the prosperous say that he must be
permitted to Sell his labor, and do
as he chooses with himself? - -
Not st all. He would be despised
by every human being, even by those
who hired him. And if caught, he
would DC hanged, as he deserved to
be hanged, with the shortest of trials
and all possible disgrace. =
The ''scab workman is simply a
traitor in the army Of human labor.
He is a miserable, cowardly rene
gade. He is despised by all honest
workers, he is despised equally by
those who hire him. Unless utterly
depravea, he despises himself: = =
Some strikes are based on right
eousncss and need-most of them
are. Some strikes are based on
h2sty decision, on a misguided sense
Of power, or on other evils. L
There are good strikes and bad
strikes, good workmen and bad
workmen, good employers and bad
employers. -. &
But IF "SCABS" there is only one
kind. They are ALL towards, ALL
traitors at heart, and ALL deserters
for profit ! ..:a r. =: = &. /: /.
OF course the 'scab," like the hy-
era, the vulture and the shark. must
exist and play in, the worlds: econ
omy. He exists as one of the neces-
sary adjustments in social disputes.
Without him the power Of the union
would De supreme, and no union or
Union man, no man on earth is fit
for the supreme power. The .'scab''
is check upon the avaricious and
rs obstinate as capital. He could
not be dispensed with in our selfish
civilization, where every man, labor
er or employer, tries to get all he
can II ~ E~r@a :: %s.#
But il we must endure the ..scab'''
let us at least not try to excuse him.
Let US not shed sorrowful tears over
the plight Of a hyena eating corpse.
No man has right to take the
law into his own hands, The right
TO VOTE gives, to the majority,
I power to make laws. If workers
lack brains to use that power, it is
their own fault, and they have no
right to make themselves the law.