Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-06
Joe BROWN STATEMENT
STARTS SENATE GOSSIP

union labor shall beat or kill or
drive from the means of making
an honoset livelihood those labor
ers who do the same kind Of work
the members of the labor union
do, and especially when union
labor has refused to do that work.
Now as TO the claim that the
courts can not reach all cases in
which labor has rights against
capital There is really very little
In this claim. But II It were ever
so true, II Is the duty of labor to
go to the Legislature and have
laws enacted which will cover
such cases, instead Of resorting to
methods which embarrass unof-
Tending thousands and are too
often attended by destruction Of
property and by brutal violence,
and even death to persons.
No man can claim that the
Legislature would shut its ears
and turn its hands against the
proper demands of labor.
Court Is Proper Tribunal.
Therefore. what | have main
tained as executive officer Of the
State, and what l plead for as a
private citizen, Is that all men 20
into court with their differences,
II they can not settle them by
mutual agreement or by arbitra-
ton. insist that no man and
no class be allowed any process
which amounts to a special privi-
lege. ! insist that II any man be
deprived Of life, liberty or prop
erty, or that IL any kind of per
sonal punishment be inflicted
upon him, II shall be by the
hands Of the law, and not by self
appointed or secretly instigated
avengers.
lnasmuch. therefore, as the la
Dor union, by obstructing and oc-
casionally preventing the opera
tion OF the public utilities, has
placed its mandate In opposition
to the States mandate, il NAV
become necessary for the State to
protect her citizens against its
acts which bring damage to them.
She now requires insurance
companies to make a money de-
post with her before doing bust
ness in her borders. These COM
panies represent capital. II she
would make the same require
ment Of labor organizations, with
the fund to be forfeited to the
state in the event these organiza-
tons do deeds which damage the
public, she would be but treating
labor and capital allke-and who
can say that this would be I'M
fair7
Again. the public utilities are
chartered to serve the public-all
the people. Their tolls and gem
eral conduct are regulated by law.
Therefore, they are, in great
measure, public institutions.
Hence IL would certainly con-
duce to the public interest II
every member of the labor union,
which assumes to control the
working powers Of the utilities.
were required to take an oath be-
fore a State official to the effect
that he would do no act which
would obstruCt that utility for
which he works from performing
the functions for which it was
chartered. The penalty for viola
ton of that oath should be the
forfeiture of the right to service
on any public utility in the State
for the period of one year. The
same penalty should be made to
apply to any officer OF the utility
in question
Merely Views Of Citizen.
OF course, the foregoing views
are merely those Of a private citi-
zen. Yet l recognize that. hav-
ing entered as a public official
upon the presentation of the ques-
lions which the labor union has
made an issue with the State.
it is not improper for me in any
capacity TO make a searching ex-
animation into this question in
volving the rights Of each citizen
Of Georgia. This J will undertake
to do after l give proper atten-
ton to my private affairs, which
have been placed In the back
ground for several years.