The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-12-20

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munication.l
Strikes and Strikers.
To the Editor of The Gate City:
Noting the trend Of events, we are
not surprised that certain employers
and those who are generally sup.
posed to look after their interests
are becoming greatly agitated over
the position that labor, both organ
lied and. unorganized. has attained
Especially during the past Two years,
as one of the results OF the great
world conflict. They censure organ
lied labor in the first place for hav-
| ing leaders-as If any undertaking
could be successfully carried on
without leadership; and IN the second
place they seem to fear that their
own selfish purposes are In jeopardy
/ because these leaders have brains
enough to match the best in the land
and successfully cope with the situa-
ton confronting them. Again 1t has
been contended that organized labor
should not be co-ordinated or linked
together in such manner as to give
| 1t force and effect under the d1rec'
ton of it's leaders, but, rs one writer
recently stated in these columns, a
union should be limited TO their own
employers"
Summed up we have the accom-
plishment of their hearts desire IN
| a NUTSHELL Do away with the leaders,
| do away with alliance or organiza-
lions, and finally do away with the
shop" union, and there is nothing
| left of what we now know as organ
lied labor.
And that is the purpose Of those
who today are opposing organized
labor as never before.
1 The strike is condemned because
! it frequently infiicts suffering or In
convenience upon persons not direct
lily interested in particular contro-
Iversy; yet there are among these
opponents of the strike men who are
always eager to plunge nation into
war on the slightest prerext in order
Ito gain political, territorial or COM
lmercial supremacy, utterly disregard
ing the thousands of lives to be sac
irificed, untold sufferings to be en-
iidured by innocent men, women and
children and the millions or billions
lof dollars to be paid in the form Of
taxes by the present as well as gen.
ierations yet unborn.
/ It makes a difference as to who
are the sufferers 1t makes differ
ence whether one mans family shall
freeze to death because Of strike
of the coal miners or whether the
family of the coal miner shall starve
Ito death because of lack OF an ade.
lquate wage to properly provide for
them.
Personally, we do not not believe
in the strike, except as means OF
last resort, and 1t has been our obser
walton that as the labor movement
! progressed in normal times there was
less tendency both among the rank
and file and the leaders OF organized
labor to resort to the strike. That
the officers Of unions are not en-
lowed with absolute power or dicta.
:; torship in leading the members OF
their respective crafts to strike is
we'll known to all who read and keep
4 abreast the times. True democracy
prevails in this respect In particular;
the question is submitted to vote
of the referendum, and to our knowt
edge it then requires three-fourths
vote in at least one of the foremost
i unions of America before their lead
ers will sanction strike.
} It appears that some men other
wise we'll posted and broad mentally
Iare rather narrow and poorly in
formed when it comes to procedure
of unions and their purpose as per
tains to the welfare of the working
men and women Of the country II
may be found that as a general rule
the man who would deny to labor the
right to organize and bargain collec
lively, and who is opposed to the
i strike in any event, is himself a
member of some organization which
has for its purpose the protection OF
his interests while at the same time
: puttinp extra dollars into his pockets
Rut of course the members of his OF
ganization never go on strike. lhes
/ don't have to. They hold the goods
they fix the price, and the public can
nav II or do without. The manufac
: turer NAV organize. the business mar
and the professional man may organ
ize. but not so the workingman
Even the lawyers Of Keokuk are OF
ganized. and they maintain wha'
"union" men would term scale o.
wages" This scale of prices was re
vised upward some three OF toul
years ago. and if our memory serves
us right the increase was not es Du,
in some instances 100 per cent-ane
If was not ION account of the war
or other abnormal economic condi
! ton, either If that price list has
kept I'D with the procession during
the past two or three years, We
should dislike to hazard guess AZ
to the present cost Of legal advice
but no doubt many poor cuss whC
J has been the subject Of an adverse
decision at the hands of the cOur