The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-06-07

says.
"Declaring that he was opposed to
the use of violence in connection with
any strike," Mr.. Gompers touches the
heart of the whole controversy be
tween employers and employees
Once he and the federation make that
Opposition" effective, once tn
strike not attended with violence
shall be the rule, antagonism to
wards unionism will disappear.
"What are the facts? Is it not true
that when a strike is ordered and one
group of workmen obey it and anoth-
er continue on the job, contemp-
tuous and insulting epitne;s are ap-
piled to the non-strikers? Is not the
! right of men not to strike often prac-
tically denied by men who do strike?
"Has not the spectacle been pre-
sented in nearly every city, including
Columbia, of an industry suspended
for the time by violence or threat of
violence declared by Mr.. Gompers is
strike or their "sympatnizers!"
"Conceding that the opposition to
vioelnce declared by Mr.. Gompers is
sincere, why is it not effective:
"No one will say that during a
strike employers resort to violence.
What they want above al things is
peace-the peaceful operation of
their factories, mines or rrains.' They
never deny the right to s:r:He, but
they do ask that the non-striker shall
not be interfered with in his work,
that he shall not be intimidated, that
he shall not be insulted. They demand
for the humblest worker the same
security in his vocation, the same
right to stay on the job free from mo-
lestation by word and act, that they
themselves enjoy as workers.
"How many strikes are unattended
with violence and in how>many is the
threat of violence though it be not
carried out, kept in the background,
yet always dimly visible, to influence
he result?
"Mr. Gompers and the federation
should do one of two things. They
should put an end to violence in
strikes or they should cease to pro-
claim their opposition to it. His de-
claration in the debate with Governor
Allen will not impress the public so
long as the violence that he decries
characterizes two out of three strikes
ordered"
Any person who tells you that
strikers are opposed to violence in
case of strikes and when violence is
necessary to enforce their demands
takes you for a fool. Violence is the
backbone Of the whole structure, and
the wherewithal to achieve the re-
suit whenever it is necessary. The
violence to which the striker ulti-
mately looks is not less represensible
than the strike itself (and by the
strike we mean strike by a combi-
nation of the majority, or all, of the
men of a given calling so as to en-
force demands by coercive meas
ures.)
Had the State demanded when the
democrats were in power that the
Sherman antitrust law contain no
exceptions in favor OF organized Ia
Dor it would have represented a bet,
ter cause. If organized labor is a good
thing, (Which we deny, since its
whole purpose is to seek ends of its
own by coercive measures and with
out any regard for, or consideration
of, the rights of others,) !: should at
least be able to obey just laws passed
for bad institution like capital. A
good man at least should be aDie -
obey the same laws which a bad man
is able to obey. !
We have been told that the labor
union is necessary for labosag men
in order that they may secure just
rewards for their labor. We do not