The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1910-06-03

should have ample protection. 1t
is also conceded that capital has a
right to fair profits on its invest
meni; that it has right 10 organize
and to protect its interests; and that
the laws of the land should give EN-
ployers just protection. Having
conceded these, 1t is time TO move
on to newer and larger problems. II
is time to demand a new method of
settlement of disputes between cap
!tal and labor. Whatever service
the strike and the lockout have per-
formed in the past, they are now
| below the standard of our eiviliza-
ton. Just as we have given UP the
stage coach for the electric trolley,
we must give up the strike and lock-
out as means of settling disputes be-
tween labor and capital. Both or,
ganzed labor and organized capital
should move to a higher plane of
action.
The strike is relic of barbarism
ana has no place in modern civil
cation. Just as we establish justice
between individuals through judicial
procedure, so we should establish
justice between two opposing groups.
The object of government is to es-
tablsh justice between individuals.
If we Will not allow individuals to
interfere with public welfare by
fighting and settling their difficulties
in their own way, why should we
allow tive groups of individuals to
disrupt the community, to interfere
with trade, commerce, industry, and
huAan rights in the settlement of
their own personal quarrels? 1t is
just as much the duty of the com
munity to settle such disputes as it
is to settle disputes between two in.
dividuals.
The trouble with the contention
between labor and capital is that
they have both ignored the third
party, the community; the third
party, the community, suffers on
account of a struggle between two
small groups of citizens. The strike
loses wages to the lsborer and prof
its to the employer, but it does more
than that. 1t interferes with trade
and industry. 1t disorganizes bust
ness and it has a tendency to de-
generate human society. These are
of special public concern. 1t is the
duty of the community to settle dis
putes that impair the general welfare
of the people.
In the recent strike in Philadel-
phla So, 900, 600 were lost to labor
ers in wages and to the street car
company in profits, and the loss to
the people of Philadelphia, who
were not Immediately concerned in
the strike, was probably as much
more; and the loss to society in
broken homes and human suffering
is loss that can not be repaired.
do not fasten the blame ON the la
borer alone nor on the street car
company alone, but the blame rests
on the people Of Philadelphia and
indeed on all of the citizens of the
State of Pennsylvania in that they
have not provided laws for the set
Element of such disputes without
loss Of time, energy, property and
moral qualities.
Progress in social control de-
mlnds that government shall ss-
tablish justice in industrial matters
as we'll as in civil and political af-
fairs. In order to dc this, every
state in the union ought to have a
law for the settlement of disputes
between all organizations, especially
those between organized labor and
organized capital.
A modified form Of the Canadian
system would seem to be a very
good law for the state of Kansas, 1t
provides for the appointment Of a
board OK Cancellation and iRvestiga-
ton whenever any dispute arises be-
tween the EMPLOYER and anV of his