The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-10-19
COMPANY HAS LOST
EVEN IF IT Wins
Warren Can Garry No Laurels in
the Long Run if He Succeeds
in Breaking Strike.

In the current issue of The Pub
lie, Louis F. Posts powerful publica-
ton, is contribution from a Duluth
man, entitled. "The Labor War in
Duluth" The writer is a we'll known
citizen of this city who has taken no
part in the street railway strike, but
he seems, nevertheless, to have clear
understanding of the situation. This
is what Sc says:
Held by the court: That it is the
first duty of street railway company
to serve the public; that the public
need not walk while the company is
coming to terms with its men. There
fore let mandamus issue to resume
service.
It does not seem to the courts self
that this is much of a remedy, but no
other appears. Whether this man
damus order is valid will be known
some time next summer when the su-
preme court has passed on the COM
pany's appeal from the order.
The strike which provoked this pro-
ceeding has been long brewing. Ac-
cumulated grievances of wages, hours
and conditions were brought to the
ances were adjusted after fashion
and the men who brought them to the
company were let out. Organization
was then undertaken secretly.
A week before the strike began,
nine men, officers of the union, and
new recruits, were meeting in Axel
Peterson's kitchen. Came to the door
two subalters of the company, brushed
past Peterson, who would have kept
them on the porch, went through
the house to the kitchen. At the end
of the week those nine men were dis
charged, "for the good of the service"
The union men walked out at once,
about one fourth of the men; most of
the remainder quit during the day
from sympathy, fear or pressure Of
class opinion. Though the MANAGE
ment was taken by surprise, strike
breakers were on their way from Chi
cago six hours before the walkout =
A mayors committee of SO, in which
the business element 'predominated,
offered it's services to both sides in
the controversy. The manager Of the
street railway company stood pat that
there was no strike and that he had
nothing to arbitrate.
Popular opinion is largely with the
strikers. Many people wear buttons.
We Walk The newspapers are
talking public ownership, led by the
morning paper whose leading stock
holder happens to be interested in
street railway stock. The strikers
have borne themselves we'll; there is
no charge that they were mixed in the
,r1oting and in number Of cases they
have shown their good faith in nelp-
ing to keep order.
The chief exhibit so far Is the in
adequacy of any legal remedy. The
city brought this action for manda-
mus and the court in granting the or
der made the comment that it was
not a very effective remedy at best,
but no other seemed available. The
memorandum admits that it is little
more than an admonition and that
the jurisdiction is open to attack. 90
+. Outside of legal tradition another
opinion Is rising. The courts opinion
runs clearly that the first duty OF a
public service corporation is to fur
nish public service: So to the laymen
It appears that another course is
equitable. If the company defaults
in it's interest payments a public ad-
nninistrator is appointed. How much
more should public administrator
be put in charge when the company
defaults in it's more fundamental
duty. IL Il ss. ss5
$ The second phenomenon OF Inn
portance is felt rather than seen. The
public is strongly moved to believe
that private management Of q pub
lie utility is incompetent. The men.
on strike may be defeated: but the
company has lost. 4 Isl