The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-03-06
THE PHILADELPHIA STRIKE.

The climax in the Philadelphia strike
was reached Friday at midnight when or
gained labor aggregating over $1,000 in
sympathy with the car men, joined in the
struggle between the Philadelphia Trac
ton Company and its employees.
On the part of the employees and the
general public and with the view of
maintaining peace and order, there was
offered an adjustment by arbitration
which the Traction Company declined to
consider, persisting in the declaration
that there was nothing to arbitrate and
that it will insist on the management of
its affairs and in its rights to make its
rules and regulations and to employ and
dismiss whom it pleases without dicta-
ton from any Gifts employees.
With this dictum as answer. the
struggle has been intensified by organ
lied labor, not only in Philadelphia but
throughout the United States. As to
whether the car men are right or wrong
in their demands is immaterial, since
there was offered an adjustment through
arbitration, but in this instance it is the
arrogant and dictatorial Traction Com
pany which has transcribed all the rules
Of equity and justice and Haunted its
defiance in the very teeth of the law
and of the people.
If there is nothing to arbitrate, the
Traction Company would not suffer
from the efforts at a settlement in which
the car men have assumed or in fact
have a grievance.
If there is nothing to arbitrate, the
verdict Of the arbitration committee
would unquestionably be against the
employees of the Traction Company. If
the plea of the Traction Company be
plausible they should have availed them
selves of the opportunity offered to get
the best of their employees. Having sub
nlitted to arbitration the employees
would have been bound by the decree
reached, but the Traction Company hav-
ing declined an adjustment must be
held accountable for the strife and the
disorders which are the result of this
strike.
Strikes, at best, are deplorable.
A general strike in a city the size Of
Philadelphia must entail the greatest in
conveniences and hardships on thous-
ands of the people, and among the
greatest sufferers must be numbered the
thousands who are dependent on their
daily earnings for the support of them
selves and their families.
Unfortunately strikes lead to lawless
ness, which finally must be suppressed
by the strong arm of the law re-en-.
forced by the military.
Until this strike was declared in eff
feet it was believed that laws prevailed
in Pennsylvania for the adjustment of
such labor troubles, but in Pennsylvania
as in other States Of the Union, such
laws are deficient, and not being COM
pulsory are as asnare and a de1usion.
If it be impossible to adjust differ
ences arising between capital and labor
on peaceful terms, how can strikes be
prevented?
The strike is the workingmen's only
weapon, unless they resort to anarchism,
and this being Tawlessness can not be
sanctioned by the law-abiding of the
citizens of any community.
There must be provided some sensible
and practical method Of settlement in
disputes between labor and capital,
whether the differences are. real or
imaginary.
Because capital is all powerful is no
reason why it should be permitted to
hurl ifs defiance at the people when
solution of any trouble may be reached
amicably through the medium of arbi-
tration.