Strike bulletin. (Clinton, Ill.) 1913-1915, 1914-06-02

tBy Edwin H. A. s.iigmsn, McNickar Professor OF
Political Economy, Columbia universityD
In the face of the deplorabie conditions Of civil
var Ia Colorado. the general public stands con-
FUSED and irresolute. Amid the clash OF weapons
and tn. exaggerated claims of roth sides, there
are. however. certain undshiseie facts TO when
attention ought in this crisis To b, directed.
The demands of the miners which led 10 The
strike seven In number.
/. The eight-hour day.
=. lay Tor narrow and dead work
). \ check weighman without interference OF
company officials.
s. The abolition OF the criminal guard system
Ton per cent advance In wages.
h.cognitIan of the union.
OF these seven demands five are guaranteed UNI
der severe penalty by the laws OF the state Of
Colorado. II Is claimed by the union that had
these laws been enforced there would never have
been any strike. Whether or not this be So Is II
not remarkable commentary ON the state OF
American civilization that individuals should De
compelled resort To a strike IN order to enforce
a series OF laws which II Is the obligation OF the
employers 10 obey and OF the state TO eniofce'
That these laws were habitually and persistenty
disregarded is claimed by The unions ana is VIZ
tualIy substaniated by official statements IN the
reports Of the factory inspectors In Colorado
The attempt OF the operators 10 defend some OF
these .xtra.iegal practices IL far from ingenious
Thus We are told that In one OF the mining camps
only % per cent of the wages OF the men were
q expended In the companys stores but We are no.
told what happened In all the other camps. nor
that according 10 our federal statistics the average
~ penditnre for food OF workman RECEIVING si-eo
year Is SO per cent OF his ~ases-so that even
in this single camp the companys stores t~si-
lowed about two-thirds of a miners average es-
p,nditur. for goods ordinarily bought at such
stores nor are told that such company stores
nave universally earned the name of 'palekme
stores and have every where else fallen undef the
pan OF enlightened public opinion.
II Is claimed by the operators that TINS Is llsh'
against The closed shop. whereas ia realty u 10
fight against the recognition OF the union Ihe
two thinEs are by means the same. The closed
shou means that none but union men may he en-
pla1ed rue recognition OF the union means that
The employers should consent 10 discuss matters al
common interest with the representatives ot the
union FINDER conditions Of complete freedom these
,xauIl normally in short time represent most OF
the worksrs II any OF the workers, however, ae-
.lr, To f,main out of the union the favorable con-
Intou. obtained by the union repr, sentailN"s
would nevertheless Apply to them. The ensuing
rrptorot In the clothing industry In New fotk
shows that the recognition OF the union does NOT
n, ressarly imply closed shop The solielthde OF
m. coal operators Is astenstbly Ia behalf OF the
"fre.s laborer IL Il really against the union Ia
bor,r At bottom II Is contest between ihnNio-
n.i ana collective bargaining. Experience has
shovn that the Individual "free laborer ordinarily
lands hut slight chance OF redress, ana that pro-
-. ha. come only through the substitution OF
e,il.rtiVe bargaluins-New York Annalst