Evening journal., 1920-11-02

body, are those which, whatever may
be said about their aims, were fore
ordained to failure from the begin !
ming, because Of circumstances under I
which they were called.
The dock workers OF the Clyde, Mai |
lory and Old Dominion lines were |
being run at a loss OF about S6DOO,O00 !
year. They had a claim before the !
Interstate Commerce Commission for
a freight raise, and any raise in wages
had TO depend on the action of the
government in raising rates.
When the railroads were returned
to private ownership, certain classes
OF employees whose wages had not,
during government ownership. been
raised at all, or at least not at all
commensurate with the raises given
TO other employees. demanded an in
crease. Because Of the financial con-
dltion Of the railroads. this increase
had to depend on an increase in
freight rates which was before the
government
Both these strikes were among the
very most expensive strikes to the
public. Neither OF them, from the
very nature OF the case, had any
chance Of success from the very be-
ginning. Both represent a total loss
to both workers and the public.
The B. r. T. strike was also
doomed from the beginning. The men
were getting GO cents an hour. which,
while not high. Is good average
wage for the kind OF work they do.
Thousands Of investors, including
widows and minors, who owned B.
r.. r. stOc&, had not, for years. re-
ceived one cent Of dividends or of in
terest on the money they have in
vested. and the company was in the
hands OF a receiver, being operated
under the direction OF a court. The
court had given the men a substantial
raise the year previous and was will
ing to raise them again as much as 1t
could. This strike cost the workers
the per cent increase they might
have had, caused immense inconven-
ience and loss to the 100000 persons
OF Brooklyn and got nobody anything
There are no specific figures avail
able from which II is possible for any
one TO say, or even to estimate. that
any particular percentage OF all
strikes since the war have brought
any particular results. But there Is
ample general evidence available
which all points TO certain very def
mite conclusions.
We know very definitely that the
unprecedented number OF strikes since
the war has piled up a total OF days
OF labor wasted that runs into the
hundreds OF millions and has never
before been approached except In
modern Russia OF in times OF war or
OF extreme panic.
ton from these days of labor lost has
caused a shortage that has added tre-
mendously to the cost OF living Tor
all Of us,
We know that the only possible
} iustinaation for any part OF this loss
1.-THE only way the public could pos
lsiblv be compensated for any part OF
it. depends on the extent to which il
has been necessary In raising the llv-
ing standards OF workers to make
them better fellow citizens and more
efnoient producers in the future.
I We know that at the end OF th'
, war, before these strikes began wages
: had advanced more and labor's scali
3 OF living already had advanced more
/ in proportion than that OF any oths
/ class OF Americans.
2 We know that because OF the short
81 age OF labor and because Of the nm
+ precedented demand for goods durinl
Il ihe last two years employers nav
Y found it to N cir best advantage to ad
q vance waCas as much as was reason
S ably possible without strikes.
n We know from governm0~' statis
- tics that less than 30 per ot al
@ strikes last year were nri owe
d the question Of wages.
We know that only about half o
s all strikes last year even mention
l. the subject Of wages.
o We know that among the classes o
? labor where strikes have been mos
'e common, higher wages have bee
s, used as an excuse for working short
II er hours and fewer days rather In a
IS as a means Of advancing living condI
,r tiOns-that instead OF increasing pre-
ie duction or production efficiency the
r. have increased the spirit Of discor
4, tent.
r. being socially or economically cor
" structive, strikes since the war HAY
been chiefly an expression Of the pul
5f poseless unrest OF the average ma
N and that where they have had pu
Of poses. or purpose has been lniec.'
e. into strikes that began from mere III
le rest that purpose has been chief
y sinister.