New-York tribune., 1910-03-11

ii T. EE VI EH1L SIhIhE FOLLf.
The extreme and Illogical attitude into
which labor leaders are driven who at
tempt 10 justify a general strike" is
Illustrated in the resolutions passed ny
the Pennsylvania State Federation 0f
Labor ri its recent session in New Cas-
tie They say:
Whereas The working classes OF Phila-
delphia, both organized and unorganized,
have reyolted against the un-American
methods of the Philadelphia Rapid Tran
sit Company, and The corrupt and high
handed attitude Of the Philadelphia city
administration, in the concerted attempt
Of these two forces TO subdue the street.
car mems union, and.
Whereas. This strike against organized
labor Of Philadelphia by the Mayor,
transit company and allied corporations
IS q fight against organized labor every
where: therefore. be ii
Resolved. That we pledge to our fellow
workers OF Philadelphia our moral and
financial support, and if necessary TO
extend the general strike 10 every indus
try in the State of Pennsylvania and to
appeal to the workers OF the entire ma
tion to take similar action.
These statements show the length TO
which the Pennsylvania Federation Is
willing TO 20 in order TO end a labor
dispute properly concerning only a sin
Gle locality. They also betray com
piete misunderstanding of tke purposes
Of a general strike" which IS nothing
less than an anarchiStic attack on the
existing industrial and political system.
Such revolutionary demonstration is
out Of place in n free country. 1t may
possibly be justified as a desperate re-
course on the part of oppressed work
ers in an autOcracy like Russia. where
the working classes have little or no
hand i'll shaping the government under
which they live. But in democratic
country like the United States, where
every person has an equal voice in gov
ernment. the declaration Of the kind 0f
warfare on government and civil order
involved III a general strike is CON
fessiOn Of the incapacity of those max
ing it TO live and work under u demo-
cratic system. If the iaboring classes
ia Philadelphia are dissatisfied with
the attitude of the city government
toward the striking car men, they have
an ample political remedy. If, as they
say, one hundred thousand TO one hun
dItu anu tNti1lA -ilN = lIIOuSduU Ilcll are
ready now 10 strike TO show their dis
approval of the observation-disclosures of
the city administration. they can effect
ually discipline the administration ut
the next municipal election by turning
il out Of office. Why not take prac-
teal way 10 reach the officials whose
acts are complained Of instead of strik
ing over their shoulders at the system
under which we all live and trying 10
bring on general industrial chaos? -:
1t is foolish TO mix political com
plaint against the municipal administra-
lion in Philadelphia with the economic
issue involved i'll the transit strike The
political issue can be settled politically.
The economic issue should be settled by
economic processes. 1t is well enough
for the State Federation of Labor 10
express its sympathy with the transit
strikers and TO aid them by Econtribu-
tions, but it is absurd and illogical TO
maintain that the situation justifies a
general strike" III Philadelphia, in
Pennsylvania or in the nation. The two
local interests in conflict can be safely
left TO fight their battle out that one
winning which can longer withstand the
pressure of loss in profits or loss IN
wages. Statewide or nationwide in
reference on the ground that conditions
are 50 bad that a general upset Of the
commercial and Industrial system alone
can better them would be dangerous
and an ineXcusable experiment.