The Nome daily nugget., 1913-11-08

with our industrial scheme of things. Hardly a day passes that we do not
 read of strikes and riots. destruction
 of property and the use of bayonets
 and bullets in places that should be GOO civilized, too we'll governed. too free from the conditions that breed . law less spirit to require the presence or the military to preserve the public peace and prevent the destruction of property.
 A little while ago 1t was Michigan.
 then Colorado and now 1t is Indiana that is prostrate under the scourase of industrial upheaval.
 Militia was called out to prevent the destruction of property in Colo
 rado and battle was fought. Militia at present occupy the city of Indiana polls as would an invading army. The
 whole fighting force of the state is there protecting the capital city from
 riot and bioodshed.
 Most of us have not the time nor the
 desire to 90 into the ethics of thess
 strikes. We do not know whether the men who have thrown down their
 tools or quit their jobs are right or wrong. We do not know whether the
 employers who refuse to grant the demands of their men are right or wrong. Certain 1t is that the men be-
 lieve that they have just cause to
 strike or they would not place their families In a position to face the wfn-
 ter without means Of support. Also 1t
 is equally certain that the employers believe that the right is on their side or they would not be willing to lose
 the money and suffer the setback to
 business that a serious strike entails.
 Any man has a right to quit work
 when he chooses. If the entire ern-
 ployed force of any corporation are d,ssatistied and if they have no bind
 ing contract with the employer there
 ,s not a thing in the world to prevent
 every man of them from quitting when
 he pieases.
 Likewise 1t would seem that every employer has the right to hire whom he pieases to work for him. However, there seems to be deeper questions involved in these recent
 strikes than the rights of employer and employee. Rights which both sides overlook in their own seiashness. These are the rights of the public which makes it possible for both the hired and the one who hires to live and the state which expects and de- mands that every citi1en be 6 law
 abiding citizen.
 Laying aside the ethical question Of these strikes 1t seems that both sides owe more to society and tho state than they seem willing to give and no mercy should be shown either side by the
 state if investigation can fix the TO-
 sponsibility for the reign of terror which seems to follow in the wake of these contests between capital and ia- bor.
 Violence will bring nothing but vio-
 lence in return and the state is better prepared to check lawiessness than are
 the iawless element to continue in their way. Unlawful combinations Of
 capital can bs handled better by the courts than by brickbats and Ire. Ana above all the public. the great mass or American people who neither strike nor are responsible for the conditions which bring about strikes have the fundamental right to Do protected In life. liberty and the pursuit of hap piness.
 It is q sad commentary on this en. l frightened nation of ours to see within the short space of two months. In three different and widely separated sections of the country. men who should be earning an honest living fos
 their families arming themselves for tho destruction of property and then 1 to see tho soldiers of the common. wealth called out to subdue these men The public peace must bs preserved The people who neither breed strikes nor make the conditions under which men work must ba protected and oi course they will bs protected f t taixsa every soldier in. the Unitsd states. Bu' somewhere there is somsthing wronG or these conditions would not cosne about.