The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-01-25
LAW AND LABOR

it try to reduce the remainder of the
population to slavery. There are in
stances that lead thinking men to fear
that it has started on that road.
One instance was the recent marine
workers strike in New York. which
was pretty much on the principle Of
the attempted Hun blockade of Eng
land-with much less excuse.
A very good idea of the position of
organized labor toward the rest of
the community in this instance may
be obtained from the following from
the New York Times:
Mayor Says Labor Cannot Ignore Law
Mayor Hylan sent a letter yester-
day to Ernest Bohm, secretary of the
Central Federated Union, in which he
takes exception TO the action of the
union in opposing the employment OF
the police TO keep the municipal fer
ries running during the recent har-
Dor strike.
The mayor in his letter says:
81 am in receipt of your letter Of
January II, in which you assume, on
behalf of organized labor, to condemn
the action of the city authorities in
using city property and city employees
to prevent the starvation, not only of
the wounded soldiers and sailors in
the hospitals on Staten Island and in
the other public institutions, but ba-
bies and children as well who were to
be sacrificed If necessary as a cold
blooded piece of strategy as part of
the fight plan of certain labor lead
ers The city administration and the
people of Staten Island had no part in
the controversy, neither did the sick
and helpless in the hospitals. Before
the United States shipping board in
Washington, on Nov. 20, Captain Ma
her, representing the committee of
the marine workers, stated that the
municipal ferries were not and would
not be involved, and admitted that
there was no dispute about the rate
of wages or the hour sof employment.
$50 far as the city and municipal
ferries were concerned there was no
dispute about the rate of wages nor
the eight-hour day. The city en-
ployes, enjoying the benefit of the
civil service, are favored class. They
are protected in their wages and In
their hours of labor, and in their en-
ployment. If under these circum-
stances civil service does not assure
the city service, then civil service is
a failure.
Calls Maher Policy Cruel
president Delahunty of the Marine
Workers Afiliation stated, so / an.
informed, that he recognized the sit
uation of the people of. Staten Island,
where there were hospitals with sick
and wounded, was exceptional, and
that they should not be made victims
in fight which was not of their max
ing or under their control. Mr.. Ma
her, however, said: Il will not consent
to any change in policy, do not care
how much suffering or inconvenience
may come to anybody; the more in
convenience and the more hardship
there is inflicted on the people the
better will be our chance of winning
''This is a wicked, outrageous, cruel
and inhuman policy. The kaiser, be-
cause he had physical power to do so,
rode brutality over the unfortunate
people of Belgium. regardless of the
fact that they were no party to his
quarrel, justifying himself on the
ground of military expediency.'
When Corporation Counsel Burr
called attention to the fact that city
employees who accepted the protection
of the civil service law had different
obligation than men privately employ
ed, Mr.. Maher said: Il have no regard
for the civil service law; the laws are
of no use to working men anyhow;
the only laws that are any good are
those passed by the unions; they can
be enforced by the unions if the
unions are strong enough, and can be
repealed by the unions when neces-
sary without being subject to any in
depreciation by the courts
Your organizations evidently do
not understand the facts or realize
that the spokesman for the unions
were satisfied to have organized labor
III this country regarded as disciples
OF Lenine and Trotzky, not only de-
FAINT of the laws of the land. but will
ing to sacrifice the lives of the people,
who were not only helpless but in no
way responsible for the dispute of the !
marine workers. Many a man who |
ordinarily would favor municipal own |
ership is going to hesitate if he is !
made to feel that because of a dis
pute between private employer and
a private employee not related in any
way to the public service every city
can be arbitrarily ordered
put on strike in defiance of law ana
order.
"I have been for many years, and
am, member of labor union in
good standing, and every sane, prac-
teal effort for better hours and bet
ter wages for the toiler has my
hearts quick sympathy and approval,
out brutal, strong arm methods can
never win any real substantial VIC
.ory for the cause of organized labor
INV more than If did for fhn kaiser -