Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-11-13
THE FRIGHT TO QUIT"

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5.--The Re
publican Publicity Association, thru
its President, Hon. Jonathan Bourne,
Jr., today gave out the following
statement from its Washington Head
quarters.
"In demanding the right to quit, !"
members of labor unions are asking
no more than is legal and proper.
That right has always existed in
America, unless qualified by special
agreement. In many establishments
it is the custom to provide in the
agreement for employment that the
employer or employee will give a
specified notice of intention to ter
inmate the employment, this agree
ment having for its purpose protec-
ton Of both the employer and the em-
ployee from the embarrassments of
unexpected change Of relations.
Agreements of that kind are ex-
tremely desirable, because they are
conducive to continuous operation of
business. On the one hand, the
agreement assures the employer that
he need not fear unexpected inter-
ruption Of his work and, on the other
it gives the employee assurance that
before he is thrown out of one job
he will have a reasonable opportunity
to hunt for another. The two-weeks
notice, or thirty-day notice is pro-
lection not only 20 the workman but
to his family, dependent upon his
weekly wage, and to his groceryman.
likewise dependent.
1T follows, therefore, that al
though the right to. quit is and must
always be an inalienable right in the
hnal analysis, it is lawful and de-
sirable for employers and employees
to qualify that right by each agree
ing not to act in such manner as to
cause needless loss or injury to the
other, Such an agreement is no more
than the express acknowledgement of
what constitutes moral obligation.
And where the entire public is in
terested in the employment, as in the
case Of public service concerns, such
as railroads telegraph and telephone
lines, the postal service, police de-
partments, city lighting, and similar
services, it is not only proper but
desirable that there shall be fur.
Their agreement that the employees
will not quit their employment by con-
certed action in such a. way as to
cripple the service An agreement to
give two weeks notice is Of no avail
in protecting the employer of large
numbers of men if the purpose of
that agreement can be evaded by all
the employees giving notice at the
same time and all quitting the en-
lployment under circumstances which
make it impossible for the employer
to fill their places
I'm the case of ordinary employers
of large numbers Of men, the agree
ment not To quit by concerted action
is individually made as matter OF
wise management of business. But
IN the case of public service employ
nent, the people have more at stake
than the owners or managers of the
business. No man can be required
to take employment in a public ser.
wee, except, perhaps, in a great pub.
lie emergency requiring establish.
ment of martial law, but every mar
who does voluntarily take such EN-
ployment can and should be required
to agree to quit in concert with othe,
employees in such way as to en-.
danger public health, peace anc
safety.
"The right to quit is an individual
personal right, and, with due con
slderation for the public interest
Should be exercised individually and
personally The right of the public
to continuous operation of public util-
tiles is a collective, public right, su.
perior in Importance to the individual
right to destroy, either by violently
demolishing property or by destroy
ing the operating organization of o
public service. The man who takes
public service employment and then
betrays his trust by conspiring with
others to quit in body, thus impair
ing the service, should be forever
barred from unemployment in that