Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-09-16

ticular industry. Throughout nlStOry
where a people or group have been
denied rights which they
conceived to be theirs, reaction has
been inevitable. Violence is nat
ural form of protest against injustice.
5. Violence in industrial disputes
is not Immediately the product of in
dustrial conditions, but of the attitude
of the parties to the dipute aftel
grievances or demands have been
The principal sources Of
an attitude leading to violence are:
a. Arrogance on the part of the
stronger party. This may result i'm
mediately in violence through the use
of force for the suppression OF the
weaker party The force used may be
physical or industrial. Physical force
may be and is used by both employ
ers and employees, through intimida-
ton, assaults. or attacks on property.
Such physical aggression is seldom
used by employees, as they are STRAIT
egically the weaker party and the re-
suits are. negative; only under ex-
ceptional circumstances can an en-
ployer be coerced by the use Of force
or intimidation. The exceptions seem
to lie in the use of secret means, such
as dynamite, with the object of weak
ening. the employers resistance.
The use Of force by workers is mar
mally directed not. against the pe1V
son or property of the employer, but
against strikebreakers and guards.
Many instances Of the use Of physical
force by the agents Of employers
have, however, come before the Com
mission, indicating relatively wide
use, particularly in isolated communi-
ties. Such acts Of violence usually
take the form Of assaults upon the
leaders of the workers or upon or
ganizers.
The instruments Of industrial force
belong chiefly to the employer, be-
cause Of his control Of the job of the
worker. Their use is more common
and more effective than any other
form of violence at the command of
the employer. The most powerful
weapon is the power Of discharge,
which may be used indiscriminately
upon mere suspicion, which under Ger
tain conditions may be almost as po-
tent, either in use or threat, as the
power :. of life and death. 1t is the
avowed policy Of many employers to
discharge any, man who gives any
sign of dissatisfaction on the theory
that he may become trouble maker
or agitator.
The only corresponding weapon in
the hands Of the workers is sabotage,
in the form either Of malicious de-
struction of property or of interfer-
ence with production. The field of
It's use is much more restricted in
practice than in theory and its re-
suits at best are negative and produce
in the emplorey only a blind resent
.ment and undiscriminating hate. Sa-
botage as a policy shows no signs OF
developing in American industry.
b. Equally productive Of an atti-
tude leading to violence Is the denial
OF the use of peaceful methods of adj
justing grievances. or the creation OF
a situation in which their use becomes
Impossible.
On the part of the employer the ar
bitrary acts which may be classed I'M
der this general head are:
Denial of the right to Organize.
Refusal to consider the com
plants of workers.
Refusal to meet the authorized
representatives Of workers.
Under modern industrial conditions
any one Of these acts makes peaceful
negotiation and settlement impossible.
Without, ORGANIZATION Of the workers
their collective claims can not be con-
sidered without the right to appoint
such representatives as they choose,
workers are at the mercy Of the EN-
ployer's power Of discharge and are
unequal to the task Of pre-
senting and arguing their claims:
while the refusal to consider griey-
ences leaves only the alternative OF
tha etxiks.