Strike bulletin. (Clinton, Ill.) 1913-1915, 1914-08-26
SYSTEMATIC FINANCING
OF LABOR CONFLICTS

The International and national as well a. many
OF the local labor unions have at different times
adopted OF agitated for the practic. Of piiing up
large defense funds at their headquarters for
the purpose OF protection In strikes and iockouts.
and-as far as possble-to ward off troubl, of
TINS nature. Comparatively little has been
piished because OF the difficulties attendant. In
the first place the raising Of such fund Of suffi-
ci"nt magnitude to be really of value would i'm
pos" heavy tax upon the membership OF the
union. and many members would objec, to the
assessment in time Of peace to raise a fund which
might not be needed for a long period of time.
Second. the problem OF safely holding large
sum of money Is u considerable one. To carry IL
Ia bank has not proven either safe or profitable;
10 hoard IL In idleness Is waste; to find invest
m.nt for II Is to impair Its ayaiiablity and only
on small line Of securities. perhaps. could the
investment be realized upon without loss In times
of business depression. when most likely to be
needed.
Ne s.ssa tsvessssess. bs~ssss safe. css possess
Nit, h s,ss 81 srssse. because Its
sion into ready cash depends finally upon the will
OF the banker-the dealer in money and bonds
who will always protect the interests Of the en-
pioyer class and find the securities unstable
when their conversion Is most desired by the
labor union involved In a strike.
Again, II defense funds OF adequate sire were
collected and held. In currency-real money-idle
In vaults. by the labor unions the aggregate would
be sufficiently large to be a disturbing factor in
business by its permanent withdrawal from cir
culation. This would react upon the workingman
himself
The safest and best place for fund for defen-
sive and aggressive action by labor unions 10 In
the pockets OF the two million and more working
men of the American Federation OF Labor. With
ton 10 make assessments in such small individ-
ual amounts as proposed the aggregate required
to meet any emergency would easily be raised and
always available when needed
when II Is realized that five assessments Of =
nickel = week would yield the large sum Of a half
million dollars II Is easy to see that labor union
involved In threatened with a conflict coming
within the limits OF the rules providing for assess
ment would have means at Its disposal which
would place II far above the discoura gements OF
present day strikes where the enemy corporation
relies upon starvation and cold to drive their work
men into submit ssion. Such assessment could
be continued for practically Indefinite time with
any workinKman feeling II q burden. But the
we'll admit II wouldn't be a cheerful prospect TO
the capitalist employer or corporation Capital 10
invested In business to make profits. and this can
be done only by keeping the business going The
compelling force OF the argument In such
would be all on the side Of the workingman and
his little Aforementioned he probably would not
have TO collect many OF them.
As II IL. trust manufacturer can. II there 10 .
disagreement with the employees at any one plant,
shut down. even dismantle IL permanently. and
do the work at one more Of the other factories,
and. Of course. beat the striking workmen Of the
first factory by the use OF their fellows At the
others with the union strike properly financed
this could not happen. because he could be men
aced with attack At other points
II the workingmen OF an Industry where the
union 10 practically In control are locked out In
sufficiently large numbers. their union has no rev.
enue. for its members have no earnings to assess
mot enough be OF vaiueD and the result 10 that
after . few weeks at most they have to submit
lose the point At issue and perhaps the results Of
years OF organizing and struggle. Financed by
the whole of organized labor instead Of . single
trade union. they could not fail for the capitalist
employer will never attempt to lock out all indus
tries at once. all of one Industry. Ne will
neses ssvSse the gssesai strife even In one indus
try II IL the thing he fears above all else. A
condition may arise when the general strike will
be necessary In this country. but when II does
come II will be conducted with such Intelligence
and resoureefuiness and scope that with its cui-
mination capitalist production will be at an end
The beneficiary OF the present system 10 not seek
ing that crisis.
ITO be continued next week.