Connecticut western news., 1910-03-10
AGREEMENTS AND STRIKES
Walter Malone.

Tho strike of the Carmen's union in Philadelphia has evolved new situation for employers to contend with-the sympathetic strike. Or, rather an ex- tension of 8 plan which has formerly been tried, but not on so large scale or in quite such a manner.
 Sympathetic strikes have occurred be- fore. but usually in some branch ot trade directly connected with the prin- cipal cause. If the engineers and fire men employed by the Philadelphia Traction Company had gone out, in an effort to cripple the company and thus assist their brethren to attain their object, it would not have been surpris- ing, as they would both have been fight ing 8 common employer, and if they won might both have benefited.
 But this sympathetic strike is differ ent. After the strikers had resorted to the medieyal custom of trying to gain their point by the use of force, in the form of brickbats. dynamite and murder ous assaults upon those who had taken the jobs they had voluntarily resigned, with lack of success, they decided to try another plan. that of calling out all organized labor in the city and thus cripple all business. This is called a sympathetic strike" by them, but is only the revival of another pleasant medieval custom, commonly called "'putting on the screws"
 The rights or wrongs of this fight be- tween the Philadelphia Traction Com pany and it's employees we have no de- sire to discuss in this article; the point we wish to call attention to is the action of the other unions in going out on strike in sympathy with them. These people had no grievance whatever against their employers; many of them had contracts with those for whom they worked, but at the snap of the labor leaders fingers they leave their work, violate their agreements, and do great injury to the business in which they are employed.
 It would seem as if this action would give organized labor 8 pretty dark colored black eye. The Garments main, almost sole, contention is for a recognl- tion of their union and for an agreement with their employers that will assure this desideratum. But where does the employer come in if he grants the de- mand? In view of what has already taken place, what assurance has he that after he has signed such an agreement, that his employees will not violate it at the first call to go out on strike in sym pathy with the tailors, the blacksmiths, she masons. or whoever happens to have a strike on hand and wants the sym pathetic action of other unions to help enforce their demands?
 1t Is plain to see that such an agree ment is not worth the paper it is written on. But the action of these sympathetic strikers may be the means of making a law whereby each party will be made responsible for the violation of an agree ment, either by the inclusion of financial bond in the contract, or by ClVH TocesS III Ct'oo Ot 0"OAA 'AOA'"UAOh' There must be some way to settle these matters and do away with violence to person and destruction of property as is now the rule in every strike. Some such plan must come at once, too, for no em- ployer will bother to sign contract or agreement which can be broken so easily and leave him to be the only sufferer.