New-York tribune., 1916-04-28
"The Public Be Damned?

u
The attitude of the Manufacturers As
sociation in the present clothing trade
troubles is nothing short Of "the public be
damned" No other Interpretation can be
placed on the refusal TO meet Mayor
Mitchell and the Council Of Cancellation to
confer about means to avert the threat
ened lockout scheduled for Saturday.
Mayor Mitchell is stating the case mildly
when he says that under the conditions
which have been produced here, those who
are responsible for bringing on this condl-
ton must carry the burden Of that respon-
sibilty before the public That burden
is heavy. for the consequences cannot fall
10 be serious-serious to the employers,
the employees and the great body of the
public. if this unreasonable and arbitrary
stand be continued. The manufacturers
will be ill-advised. indeed. if they precipi-
tate upon this city, in this time of crisis.
the disturbances and dangers Of great
labor war.
This present dispute goes back TO the
troubles ldSI SuDllltls NiiiNH biDNStiN
being the Council Of Cancellation and a
sort Of revised protocol or living arrange
ment between employers and workers,
without. however, definite term of eX-
istence. The first difference between man
ufacturers and the union was settled, un-
der this revised protocol, by the Council oil
Cancellation in a decision strongly IN favor
of the manufacturers. The union reluc-
tantlv accepted the ruling. But when the
next decision. in the unions favor, was not
found acceptable to the manufacturers,
the workers figured 1t was poor rule
which wouldn't work both ways, and the
existing protocol was terminated by the
union. There followed threats of general
strike in July, the peak of the manufactur-
ing season, to offset which the employers
agreed on lockout, to 90 into erect on
Saturday. They preferred to fight 1t out
now. in the dull season. rather than to-
stand all the troubles and losses attendant
on strike in the rush season.
If the manufacturers carry out their
intention and put the doctrine Of force
ahead of wisdom. they will precipitate a
labor war which undoubtedly would spread
into allied branches Of the clothing indus
try, where at present there is no disposl-
ton to have trouble. Such a course is
against their own interests II Is against
their employees interests. Obviously 1t is
against the publics interests. There is no
more reason for strike or lockout now
than there was last summer, when the
opposing forces managed to get together.
There exist now even greater reasons-lf
they admit the rights OF the pubhc-ior
their getting together. No person IN ON
cial or private life knows from one day
70 the next whether this country will be |
involved in war Manfestly, this is a
time for the avoidance Of serious internal
a display Of rcasonaolcness
rather than for a stubbornness which will
burn down the house in order to deprive
an opponent of shelter
It is unthinkablc that the manuiactur-
ers. who managed to live and do business
without manifesting symptoms Of starva
ton for some six years under the proto-
coils. can be in condition which compels
their selecting industrial war now rather
than arbitration. Yet they seem bent on
plunging themselves. their workers and
the public into the thick of it. Their
course is wrongheaded, dangerous, a
menace to the community 1t is to be
hoped that the sancr minds in their asso-
citation. which recognized the advantages
Of conference and concliation in other
years. will regain the asccndancy before 1t
is too late.