The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-08-27
MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN
REASON AND DESTRUCTION

-
Under the caption Reason or De-
struction," the United Mine Workers
Journal discusses Rockefeller methods
as follows:
eve have heard the claims of the
Standard Oil people that their en-
ployes are well paid, we'll cared for,
satisfied and in proof of this asser.
ton it is pointed out that they do not
complain.
But we find that, at Bayonne, N.
j., as in the coal mines Of Colorado
the employees of Standard Oil were SO
divided by judicious mixing Of many
nationafities; by system of espion-
age, that any expression of protest, of
discomfort, was impossible.
And, as is ever the case when ex-
preston of discomfort is forcibly sup
pressed, the manifestation thereof
comes at last in the form of an ex-
plosion.
"Unorganized, without any leaders,
the workers in the great factories at
last were forced to express their dis
satisfaction, their despair, by throw
ing down their tools; coming out on
strike, these thousands of men and
women of many nationalities; with no
settled demands, no one in position
to state on what grounds they would
be willing to return to work. A spon-
taneous demonstration; a strike of de-
spair.
And the answer was ready. The
gunner were on hand. The policy
of this, the richest corporation in this
or any land, meet every expression
of discomfort with a show of force;
no concessions; drive them back to
their tasks.
1T is said that attempts we're made
by the strikers to destroy the plants.
"If that be true it can only be IN
Iterpreted as an impression of utter
hatred for the abject conditions forced
upon them in those plants; an expires.
sion of despair; of recognition of the
hopelessness of ever receiving fair
treatment in those plants.
1.-THE greatest of all mistakes is in
the attempt to suppress, or make i'm
possible any expression of discomfort;
any protests. For suppression can
only intensity the discomfort. Express
sion of the same will come, If the
safety valve is missing, the explosion
Is inevitable.
The situation at Bayonne is the
more difficult from the fact that there
is no authorized body that can ex-
press the demands of the workers. 1t
has been the policy there, as in all
} plants of the same corporation, to
suppress any way through which the
workers could express their desires
or their discomfort.
Rule by force cannot continue I'M
= questioned, Indefinitely. The workers
now on strike at Bayonne may be
= driven out, even as many of the Colo
RADIO miners we're driven from their
homes. But eventually it will be
driven home TO all the workers that
the argument of Force can only be
met with like argument
1--WE hold for the better way; the
only way through which necessary, i'm
perative amelioration of the conditions
of the workers can come through ways
, of peace, Only through organization
can the protests of the workers be
, come artlcuIate. Recognition by the
employers, large or small, of the right
of the workers to present their de-
mands, to voice their protests against
wrong will bring the needed improve
ments through ways of peace.
Failing this, there can be no peace,
And the recurring inartculate express
sions will grow in force until they
overthrow the force that is arrayed to
suppress.
Reason, Justice and Peace
Suppression, degradation, despair
and destruction!
(Which way?"