Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-19
THE PATERSON STRIKE,
BY DIR. FRANK CRANE.
Copyright. 1913. by Frank Craneo

February 25. 1913, began the strike
OF the SILK workers In Paterson. N J..
winch continued for months At the
END OF the twentyfirst week 1t was es-
| t1mated that the strikers had lost S.
26o,0oO In wages; the manufacturers
mad lost their spring and summer or
GERS. amounting to millions; many
small tradespeople had gone to the
wall because they could extend credit
no longer. and business generally had
suffered to an extent impossible to
estimate.
stand off little from the immediate
passions of the situation, look at it ra-
tlonaliy. and how absurd 1t all seems.
Here are thousands of people directly
or indirectly interested in the manu-
facture of silk goods; their interests
are identical: their success Is inter-
locking: the prosperity of each depends
upon the prosperity of all. It would
they would have sense enough to use
reason forbearance and self-restraint,
so as to organize in such manner as
would bring profit to all.
Instead of that they give free rein
to greed. stubborn pride, violence and
hate. The whole bunch Of them. en-
ployers and employed. would rather
kick and bray. like wild asses in a
pasture. and lose twenty millions OF
dollars than to come together like in
| telligent beings and arrange a plan
that would give some degree of salts
| faction all around.
What is the cause Of this? What are
those strange elements that make such
| fools of mortals and enter as parti-
tions of iron between men and men?
The causes are far-reaching and com
pick. The troubled condition of things
| Is due to the imperfect state of human
l l@ H.
live together on this earth The fruit
of civilization is still green and sour
| The only healing will be to OutgrOw
our present state. But some causes
| may be pointed out:
| /. We do not yet begin to realize
democracy. which implies the organiza-
ton and cooperation of the whole peo-
| pie.
| 2. We are still in the ghost clutch OF
| the class idea. We can only organize
class. We still hate the classes not
| our own. We cannot understand or
ganization for humanity, for the well
| fare of every man.
| 3. We are still heather in our eco
| Monies, as we are in our statecraft.
| for we call race-hatred, pride. greed
| fox-cunnins and wolf-robbery-we call
| these motives practical, while we sneer
at love. mutually, ultimate Justice and
| heInfuIness as visionary and impracti-
cal.
| i. We do not as yet perceive the full,
| normal function of government. We
conceive it's business to be merely to
nnnish crime; that 1t is to stand of
and not interfere until society. bust
ness or the Individual breaks down.
AZ = matter of fact the government OF
the future will not punish at all; 1t
vii, nreyent. heal. cure. Slowly we
ara learning that business is govern
went. that the only government Is the
Justification of the Industrial activ-
,t;ss If the entire body of the people.
70 make profits with equity to all, and
to distribute profits giving giving to ,s every
mnuar nc, or mayor attempts to adjust
strike the employers tell him to mind
h;s own business. and the employed
nnrse e him for attempting even to main
seine day we shall realize that tne
system stem of private ownership of plant an,
and capital on the one hand ana class
anIida ritv of labor on the otner. ngnt.
ing and hating like wildcats. WINE tne
a ing anu Of the people, by the PEG ..
10 and for the people" is compeueo e
paan hands off, is mad ana Was.eIu
s nes worthy only Of haif-baroarous
minds.