Denver labor bulletin., 1916-09-02


the south it declared strike, and that
strike wss won. The people were con
ccrns.d they footed the bill in men and
money. but the right OF human beings
to quit their employment at their pleas
ure was effectually established, save in
the case OF the seamen.
IL IL only recently that congress
passed the Lafollette scamen's bill, eN-
tending to the last OF Americas bond
men freedom to quit their jobs. II may
b, Of interest to know that prior to the
passage OF the scamen's law the seamen
entering the ports OF the United States
were chattel slaves and were not permitted
to break a civil contract, and if they did
the police power OF the United States
was used to drive them back to their
jobs.
The question OF human rights is the
paramount one. II We are to maintain a
Republican form of government the pow
er TO control and dominate the lives,
activity and personal relations of the
working people BY law must be abolished
The right to work or not to work. singly
or in concert, for reason or for no
reason, must be maintained At all costs.
Domain Of Personal Rights.
There must b. sphere of indepcnd-
enco unreg1ilated by law IL freedom l.
maintained. There must be reserved
domain of personal rights protected
against any invasion or effort at limi-
tatiop even by benevolent conscience.
Democracy brings its penalties. In or
tN,r to have freedom to do right there
must bc opportunity 10 make the wrong
choice. But the mistakes OF democracy
are eventually rcctiiied by democracy,
not by the limitation of democracy.
II members OF labor organizations vio-
late the laws OF the state or the city
in which they live, they can BE- arrested,
given y fair and impartial trial. and If
convicted, assessed the penalty for the
offcnsc Because there have been four
strikes in this state. which. according TO
Mr. Mclaughlin, eliminated in blood
she'd, loss OF lives and property. and a
stain ON the good name of Colorado,
does not constitute n reason why the
working people OF this state should be
reduced to involuntary servitude. Meth
er will the wage carners OF this state
permit such condition TO obtain.
In other parts Of this country, notably
Illinois. Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania,
there are nearly five hundred thousand
coal miners working under agreements
with their employers. while in Colorado
the coal miners have been denied the
right to have any effective part in de-
tcrmining their wages and conditions.
This Is the reason why strikes have oc-
CURED II the employers Of labor in the
state of Colorado are wiling to enter
into trade agreements with their en-
ploycs. industrial peace, of which we hear
80 much, will he an accomplished fact.
Cites Cracker Case Decision.
As typical OF what political agencies,
dealing with the rights of individuals
usually measure up to. it will be illum-
mating To reproduce. in part. the decls-
sion in the so.callcd cracker case" in
which the employees of the two local
cracker manufacturing concerns We're in.
volved:
After a most searching investigation
we believe there is but one conclusion In
this case, that the business will not at
this time justify any increase in wages
states the opinion. THE WAGES ARE
SMALL COMPARED WITH THOSE
PAID IN MANY OTHER INDUSTRIES.
We hope that conditions may change in
this line so that the employers and en-.
plcycs may reap fair return from their
labor and capital invested. Whenever in
the investigation Of wage dispute the
commission finds that concern or in
dustry is in such n state that to increase
the wages would drive the concern out
of business or into bankruptcy, it is the
duty of the commission to refuse to rec
ommcnd the increase demanded. 1t is
the opinion of the commission that we
cannot recommend an increase of wages
-or any changes in hours or working con-
ditions."
That Mysterious "Public."
This position is not only ridiculous,
but il is plainly an effort to protect en-.
ployers at the expense of employees. II