The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-11-28


is no prospect of success, the strike
is not only wrong, but also absurd,
for it occasions waste without any
compensation. Men should pause be-
fore resorting to this extreme measure
and ask themselves if the possible
gains are in any way commensurate
with the cries and the sufferings
which the strike entails. The strike
for the strikes sake, as a measure to
disorganize the economic order,
stands condemned as grave crime
against society. In case where the
strike is just and necessary for the
attainment Of just ends, the Govern
ment may not prevent the exercise of
this right, neither by injunction nor
force, unless. of course. it is willing
to see to it that justice be done to
the workmen. Undoubtedly the State
has right to suppress disorder, vic.
lence and bloodshed which arise in
the course of a strike, whether they
proceed from the employers or the
employees. A strike is not war. 1t
implies neither destruction of proper.
ty nor violence; it is not aggression,
but rather an organized passive re-
sistance.
Before We pronounce judgment on
the strikers let us examine if there
has not been provocation for their
action and if their patience has not
been strained to the breaking point.
There is another dark side to this
question which is carefully screened
from the public eye; unspeakable
crimes have been committed in the
name of property rights, for greed is
as merciless as the grave and as blind
as fate.
Let us not say: Peace, peace! Peace
at all costs, even at the point of the
bayonet. Let us say: JUSTICE! and
peace will take care of itself. And if
we are not willing to see that justice
is done the laborer, then let us not
blame him for making use of the only
effective means he has. 1t appears
that as the unions grow in strength
the frequency Of the strikes diminish
and arbitration and peaceful agree.
ment take their place. Though we
would wish that they should be abol
ished altogether, we dare not hope for
such contamination in the near flu.
ture. In the present imperfect stage
of industrial organization they seem
unavoidable. May they at least be
continually reduced in number and
shorn of the horrors of violence.
Violence the Worst Ally for a Good
Cause.
Violence! How gloomlly the echo of
the word rings through these sacred
halls! What picture does the word
conjure up before our vision!
Violence is the worst ally for a
good cause. Nothing is more decep.
tive; the seemingly good effects OBJ
tanned by 1T are practically never suf-
ficient to outweigh the evil effects.
Violence casts suspicion on the best
cause and makes Justice itself odious.
Let the unions repudiate violence, for
1t will profit them nothing. 1t deprives
them of their best friends, for it alien
ates the affections and sympathies of
those who believe in the righteousness
of the cause of labor. Violence does
not destroy the evil it attacks, but
rather perpetuates it, inasmuch as it
seemingly justifies the opponent and
arouses in him the firm resolve to
maintain his position with all his
power. AS soon as violence has been
employed it becomes to prove the jus.
tice of the cause in whose behalf II
has been enlisted. This is true of the
capitalist also; the use of violence
and military force in his behalf
makes his cause unpopular. After all,
men hold human lives higher than
property rights; they will not long
stand for it, that lives of men and
women and children be sacrificed to
abstract rights of property. However,
use violence in behalf of the cause of
labor, and capital will regain the lost
sympathy and public opinion will veer
around. The public distrusts violence;
it has a lurking suspicion that Justice
is not found on the side Of violence.
See this illustrated in the history of
the Church! Liberty and federation
were denied her. She used no violence
but suffered it, and thus she triumph.
ed. Her children were slaughtered by
the thousands, until the empire stood
agape at the appalling loss of lives
and commanded halt to the persecu-
ton. Whatever there may be to the
States rights, we cannot afford to lose
these men; violence depopulates the
country. Give these men their free
dOm!"
Philosophers of history remark that
the privileges now enjoyed by the
people have not so much been forced
from the classes in power, but been
granted and conceded by them. This
progress is still going on. The priv.
LEGGED classes are steadily retreating
and allowing the common people to