Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-08-29
4 MfNAEE To

MfNAEE To UN1UHlSSM -
The railroad strike which has tied up the traffic In
California fol. several days presents some features with
parallel to those observed in connection with the strike
OF shopnnen = week or more ago. AS in the former case
many OF the western railroad employees have quit work
without observing the forms and regulations which are
provided in the rules Of their own organization. Upon their
attention being called to this by the chief officers Of the
order. some Of them were defiant. and some reluctant.
and 1t was an open question whether they would comply
with the instructions to resume work and carry-out the
contracts to which they had become parties or would re-
Dudiate their organization and the obligation which It had
assumed. and tie up the railroad traffic Of the entire
western section of the country.
As in every strike Involving Transportation facilities
the interests ct . vast number Of people are Immediately
affected. The western states are large producers OF fruits
and other ~perishable goods. These goods must be mar
keted Immediately and facilities must be provided fol
keeping them cool in transit. otherwise the greater part
OF the years labor Of the vast population d utterly do
sroyed and valuable food products which are needed by
other millions pass out Of existence,
There is in the situation, however. a feature which II
Is important for members of labor unions to consider en-.
drely apart from the effect of this action upon the com
munity At large. or many years able and progressive wage
earners have struggled to secure the recognition Of the
principle OF collective bargaining as applied to large in.
4SNeSS "oo VI S"S AA6a@ " 0ASoG4oS " LAX ANOsup3AeH
nent Of this purpose. The attitude Of the union member.
who strike in disregard or in open defence of tho resu-
lauons Of their organization and in reputation Of their
contracts which have been made through those organa-
cations is a menace to the very existence of labor union.
lem. Far-seeing men. like those at the head Of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor; and the great railway mems or.
CARNATIONS have insisted that these organizations have a
proper place in the economy of the country. and that they
are beneficial not alone to their own members but to the
general public because they have brought into the labor
situation an element Of reliability and stability which
could not possibly be associated with the purely ind1vidu-
al action. They have demanded the right to make con-
tracts in groups upon the ground that they were in posi-
ton to see that these contracts were fulfilled. If the in
d!vidual members or small groups of them persist in such
action as been observed of late. and after entering into
contracts establishing hours, conditions of employment
and rates OF wages, quit work at their own pleasure and
without regard to the organizations which have made
contracts on their behalf, their whole system Of union
labor is endangered. 1t would be folly for employers to
make contracts with a great national or International Or
ganization if they had no assurance that such contracts
would be fulfilled. The inevitable result Of persistence in
this course will be to compel employers to ienore the or
CARNATIONS whose own members have set the example.
The principle of collective bergatninE will be RELOCATED to
the rear and will revert to the chaotic conditions Of every
man making his own bargains for himself and doing as
he pleasss
1t is evident that the heads Of the great railroad
brotherhoods appreciate this danger. In tnstructins the
western strikers to resume their work they have empha-
sized the importance Of observing the regulations Of their
unions and have even gone 80 far as to threaten to take
the situation out Of the strikers hands II other means fall,
and to supply labor from other fields to move the stalled
tradns and handle the spelling crops. 1t would be some-
thing new in the history Of labor for the great tnterna-
tional organization to act IN the capacity Of strike-break
ers. But II that is done the action will have been forced
by men whose cowise is destructive to every principle
upon which labor untonisrn is based, and among the
many d,~souiettnE things which occur from time to time
this evidence OF their recognition Of responsibility and
accountability on the part Of the great union leader. viii
be hailed as a gratifying sign.