The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-10-28
THE MORALITY OF STRIKES.

Since all strikes depend for their
effectiveness on concerted action,
which can be best secured through
the medium of labor unions, it is es-
sential in any discussion of the moral
ity of strikes to lay down from the
outset the clear principle that labor
unions are licit, says j. Harding
Fisher, S. j., in America. There is
nc reason in justice why men should
not band together for mutual protec-
ton and improvement, provided that
their organizations respect the rights
of othersaand limit their activities to
the promotion of the legitimate inter
ests Of their members. The right to
form associations of this kind is
guaranteed by common and statutory
law, has the sanction of Pope Leo
XIII, and is founded in the nature of
man. This right, however, does not
impose on employers a corresponding
duty of employing %unioniZed labor.
II employers see, or think they see,
in labor unions a nae to their free
dom, they are not obliged to expose
themselves to the possibility of their
domination. There was a time, in the
beginning of the past century, when
the courts were disposed to regard
organizations similar to the present
labor unions as dangerous to the
peace of the community, and liable to
indictment under the charge OF con-
spiracy; but, with the progress Of
years, public sentiment has changed,
so that now not only have they the
sanction of State and Federal legisla-
ton but it's encouragement as we'll.
Nor is this surprising, for the ethical
foundation Of this position is unassail-
able. The workman's labor is his
own. He has, therefore, the right to
dispose of it, and to insist that it be
employed under reasonable conditions
and be given a just remuneration.
AS a consequence he also has the right
to take the means necessary to secure
such conditions and such remunera-
tion. Experience has demonstrated
that, ordinarily, the only means of Sc
curing this tWofold object is united
action. Moneyed interests are some
llLu6S us DO " CAdCO AubOA IN
intolerable conditions, and to give in
return the lowest possible wage for
which men can be forced to work, re-
CARELESS of the fact that the sum
given may be quite inadequate for the
decent support of the workman's fam
lily. Unprotected laborers on the
other hand, especially when goaded on
H., AIo o,;oc IF h11noru 0hil6Tnn aTQ
helpless. against the immense re-
sources of capital! They have long
recognized this, and have formed asso-
Citations that have for their purpose
the obtaining of the legitimate com,
mon good by legitimate
One of these legitimate means is
the strike, which is v~ariously defined,
but is admitted by all to be a con,
certed withdrawal of employees from
work, with the purpose of forcing en-
ployers to accede to their employees
demands. Moralists are unanimous
in pronouncing j~ustifiable this method
of compelling employers to ameliorate
the conditions Of labor. They admit
the possibility of abuse in the use OF
the strike, but at the same time they
maintain that the strike is an abso'
lutely licit weapon, provided it is in
voked to remedy a grievance of a ser
ious nature; that other methods OF
reaching a settlement have been tried
and found u%navailing; that it offers
welI-founded hopes of success, ano
that the good to be derived from it is
Of such a character as to counterbal
ance the evils it entails. The reason
for this position is clear. There Is
nothing morally wrong in refusing tc
work under unjust or unreasonable
conditions, nor is the character OF this
act changed by the fact that many
men concur in it simultaneously, fol
the supposition is that the grievance
is common to all. What they may de
individually they may do collectively
True, the strike is not a measure tina
the moralists ordinarily advise; OF
the contrary they hold that it should
be appealed to only in the last resort
for it's success is doubtful; at it's con
clusion the strikers are often no better
off than at the outset, and almost in
evitably excuses are committed in 1t!
progress. Despite this, in itself, sup
posing the necessary conditions full
filled, the strike is legal and licit.
Betterine Their Position.
Nor is a strike legal and licit onl.
when the employees are victims o
fragrant injustice. They may ais
strike in order to realize a legitimat'
desire to better their position, and t
obtain a greater share in the genera
profits to which they contribute s
largely. This is true even thougI
they are at the time receiving tn
minimum living wage and are no
obliged to work under intolerable cor
ditions. Such desires and demand
are just, as long as they do not eS
coed the maximum wage. 1t is to b
noted, however, that the employer
are not obliged in justice to give NOR
than the minimum wage, though i
certain cases they might be obliged t
do so in charity.
There is a difficulty about case
where the strikers have bound then
selves by contract for a specified pei
iod and nevertheless walk out" befor
it has elapsed. But this difficulty j