The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-10-29

ON DENVER DISTURBANCES
INTERESTING AND INsTRUc.
TIVE COMMENTS ON SIMILAR
CONDITIONS ELsEWHERE-IN.
DUSTRIAL UPHEAVAL IN
Wolves PUBLIC AS WELL AS
EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS.
The Research Department of the
Federal Council of the Churches of
Christ in America has made public a
report OF an investigation of the Den
yer Tramway strike which occurred
during the summer of 1920. The in
vestigation was undertaken at the in.
stance OF group of churchmen in the
city of Denver which created for the
purpose the Denver Commission OF
Religious Forces. The Commission on
the Church and Social Service of the
Federal Council of Churches and the
Social Action Department of the Ma
tional Catholic Welfare Council par.
ticipated in the inquiry. The Protes-
ward L. Devine, one of the foremost
social workers and writer's in Amer
lea, and the Catholic, by DR.. John A.
Ryan of the Catholic University of
America and DR.. John A. Lapp, a we'll
known investigator and an authority
on social legislation. This appears to
be the first time that a serious indus
trial dispute has been investigated un-
der the auspices of a group of local
churchmen representing Protestants,
Catholics and Jews, and it is also the
first time that the two great national
councils-Catholic and Protestant
have been associated in an enterprise
of this kind. Although the investiga-
ton was made last fall, much time has
been consumed in canvassing disputed
facts. This has been done with a
thoroughness that was not possible un-
til the heat of controversy had in a
measure subsidized
The strike on the street railways of
Denver, which was the subject of the
investigation, was an extraordinarily
bitter conflict and involved so many
typical features of industrial disturb
ances that the investigation had much
significance for every large city which
has labor problem in connection
with its transit service. Furthermore,
the report, emanatiEg as it does from
conservative church circles, makes
such pointed pronouncements on Ger.
tain features of our present Industrial
situation as to invite very general pub
lie attention.
Strike Breakers Responsible for Kill.
ings.
The conflict resulted in the tragic
killing of several innocent people, to.
tally unconnected with the disturb
ance, which the investigation proved
to have been the direct result of the
arming of irresponsible strikebreak
ers, many of them of a very question.
able sort. No grand jury has succeed
ed in fixing definite responsibility
The strike was accompanied by Sc.
rious rioting which the investigation
showed to have been led, not by the
striking workmen who had little to
do with them, but by lawless persons
who we're not apprehended.
The trouble arose over the termina-
tion by the company of it's agreement
with the Amalgamated Association OF
Street and Electric Railway Employ
es and the announcement of serious
wage reduction. The company justi
fed it's action on the ground that with.
out an increased fare it was impos.
sible to continue to pay the prevailing
scale which provided top wage OF
So cents an hour. On this issue the
report states:
1.-THE Tramway employees struck be-
cause they feared that as soon as the
legal obstacle should be removed the
company would reduce wages to As
cents, which it had signified it's inten
tion of doing in default of an increased
fare; because they believed theil
union was better able to face contes,
in August than it would be in Octo
ber or November when it's morale
would be weakened by the loss of its
contract with the company, and when
unemployment would be more wide
spread; and finally, because they were
enraged at what they believed to be
policy, on the part of the company
aimed at disrupting their union.
Whatever may have been the finan
cial condition of the company, the men
could not be expected to accept re
duction of the top-wage to 4S cents
an hour without the most vigorous anG
indignant protest. The requirements
of an industrial enterprise make il
necessary in practice to safeguard
stockholders and to pay interest or
| bonds. Otherwise, capital cannot bt
attracted, and the bondholders will
throw the enterprise into bankruptcy
But in principle the men are right
and public policy will vindicate then
i'm maintaining that labor should be
paid good living before money re
ceived its hire"
Public's Responsibility.
The public is declared to have re
sponsibility in this matter and alst
! for maintaining order without depend
| ing on imported guards:
1T is to be feared that the people
of Denver, as is probably true in mos
cities under like circumstances, fol
the most part failed to take broad