The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-07-24
The Peoples Economic
Rights and the Strike
ny EDWIN y. BROWN.

ny EDWIN %. BaOWA.
have decided TO write a series
and as the subject covers the broad
est field for discussion. I shall try
to be guided BY scientific economic
facts and truth.
The Dock workers' strike
We have in Seattle what Is called
Water Front Employers Union" I
presume IL to be q second cousin OF
the Manufacturers Association. and
IL r. well and necessary that such
associations are formed just as II -
necessary for workingmen to form
Industrial unions. because when as
eociations and unions are formed
tho material interest OF each mem-
Der aud group of individuals be-
comes the concern OF every member
In each group, and the secrstary@s
records will advise the public an to
the purpose and progress OF the
class war going on in Industry. and
when society recognizes the necee-
sity for ending the class struggle,
10 will bs the Peoples economic
right and DUTY" TO sotfViixc the
productive Institutions that srv-ncv
now operated for exploitation and
profit Instead Of for use as the
needs of society now require. The
dock workers contend that 5sc per
hour for regular time. 81 for over
explosives Is reasonable Let us
consider this for moment. A dock
worker seldom has steady employ
ment month in and month out. He
may work ~ or 80 hours at ons
stretch and not get work again for
week and he must live while
waiting for the boats to come so ~
to get. work. Dischhrging and load.
and much skin is required when
speed is desired, as II always is, and
the OBJ ject In making the wage
scale high for overtime Is to relieve
ne men from oyertims work By
when labor is scarce. II the workers
are compelled to work overtime. the
strain on their vitality should surely
be compensated for because so
much more time will be required for
them TO rccuperate and get ready
for their next task. One dollar per
hour for handling explosives (nnuni-
tons OF war seems TO me as reas-
docks in SETTLE are handling the
materials rYde by American work.
ingmen that Russian. English. and
French workingmen I'm the srmicsl
are going to use to XIII German and
Austrian workingmen Tin the other
armies) with. and aside from this
the work Of loading explosives IL
skilled labor and very dangerous.
Open Letter Advertisements
Many open letter advertisements
have appeared IN our public press
and we can easily read between the
public opinion that will be pretu-
diced against the workers. And in
many eases Measurements are made
and facts are distorted The work
ers have not the means TO carry on
campaign OF opinion holding. but
the answer 10 the whole Argument
is that the freight rates and prices
on all commodities has advanced
European war started. and labor IL
bound 20 be considered when max
ing Just and reasonable demands.
The People Have Rights
We must be fair TO investors. but
every business man In Seattle is in
terested in seeing the dock work
ers (many OF whom have homes and
families here) get a square deal.
They spend their money with US.
and wa sell them goods upon which
we pay freight: the more the men
earn. the more they buy. and the
freight on, so that the small In
crease paid to the men would not
equal per cent of the increased
freight charge received by the car
owners conspire to create a strike
I'm order TO make the companies lose
money in order that small stock
holders can be frozen out. Strikes
nave oAAoh bech uScu Aor tHis Pus-
pose.
II Is said that most Of the ship
ping and transportation companies
are owned by foreign capital, and
when some legal light proclsims that
he Is an American citizen and for
the open shop, IL may be well for
him 10 know that while he Is con-
tending for increased earnings on
foreign owned stocks and bonds. he
is, at the same time. contending for
a decreased purchasing power and
lower standard OF living for Ameri-
work) are some day going to de-
mand their rights. and those who
depend on the people (who work)
for their living, should he slow TO
condemn those people (who work.
for demanding a larger share of
what they create. IL freight rates
70 the Orient have raised from SIS to
s25 per ton, 10 Nladivostok from
$40 to $40 and s7s5O per ton. and on
tho coastwise trade from So to $3.50
should be increased. My advice to
the strikers is TO beware OF any
(even your memher.) who advocate
violence. Beware and shun those
who would bait you to riot, and re-
member always, that the violence OF
your opponents always betrays their
weakness. A striker is producer
OF wealth who demands more OF
what he creates for him and his. A
strike-hrcsker IL an ignorant one
who would lower the standard of
living for the working people and
cause he does not know the value of
his labor power.
My next article will be on tho
open shop.
EDWIN J. BROWN.