New Ulm review., 1922-07-19
The Strike vs. The Ballot Bon.

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Troops are called out in nearly every
strike to shoot down workingmen IN
order to keep mines, factories and rail
roads running. Did you ever hearacf
troops being called out to shoot down
owners of these industries when they
close up shop and leave the workers
out in the cold without work and with
out a chance to make living? ~
Why is it that troops are always
used against the working people in a
strike and never against the owners?
When the owners go on strike by
closing down in order to curtail the
output and force up prices, they have a
perfect right TO do so, according to the
idea cf most people. Why? Why
have they a right to strike any more
than the working man?
The kept press always deals up lot
of old hash to prejudice the public
against striking workingmen. Did
you ever see one of the old gang dailies
take up the cudgels for the working
men when they are put out of work,
when the owners 60 on strike?
We hear a great deal about proper
ty rights" socalled. What about the
right to job? Did you ever stop to
think that onefought to be protected
in ones job? Some day 'job rights"
will be considered equally with "pro-
perty rights" ~" ..
We believe that both property rights
and job rights should be protected.
We believe that property rights should
be protected to such an extent that a
workingman couldn't quit Job be-
fore it is ready to be filled by someone
else. We believe a workingman's Job
should be protected to such an extent
that he couldn't be fired except for
good cause till he has another job.
We don't believe in strikes, and yet
it is the only means a workingman has
of protecting his interests at the
present time. If workingmen would
use their brains q bit on election day,
there would be no need for strikes.
There are enough working people in
the United States so that if they would
stick together and vote alike on cleo
tion day, the strike, as weapon in
industrial warfare, would be thing of
the past. We have very little SYM
pathy for the laboring man who strikes
against his boss and yet votes for that
same boss on election day. :. =, >.
This is not criticism of the men
out on strike in the United States at
the present time. Under their present
system 'of Organization, the strike is
their only weapon and we hope they
stick and win. Still we do net regard
the strike as the best method by long
shot. The ballot box would be more
effectiveI, And with reasonable de-
mands in:their political platforms, labor
will have the support of the farmers
all along the line, and they are getting
that now. And those two groups are
now getting the support of the mer-
chants who know that their best
friends are the laborers and the farm
ers. The success and prosperity Of
the merchant depends directly on the
success of the majority of his customers
and they are the laborers and farmers.
With the laborers and farmers and
merchants Joining hands politically,
strikes, with their discomfort, will bes
unnecessary. If the representatives
of the laborers, farmers and merchants
could sit in equal power around the law
making and law enforcing table, SC to
speak, it would mean justice and a
square deal to all concerned.
We need new organization in
Politics an orgs nization which will
be based on equal power to these three
elements. We need all three. We
need the wisdom and the counsel of
all three. We have now Nonparti-
san League of farmers. We alsc have
a Working Peoples Nonpartisan Po-
litical League. What we should have
is an organization which would take
in the farmers, the laborers and the
merchants all in one organization, but
SO fixed that each of the three groups
should have equal power in the organi-
zation, e. g. that the governing beard
Of the organization should consist toof
one third farmers. one third Ia bore.s
and one third business men,.
No group would benefit from such
an arrangement more than the busi-
ness men. The farmers and labofers
would benefit greatly also. It..would
encourage the friendliest feeling be-
tween these three necessary groups
which would spell prosperity for all
as result of such cooperation.
That would tend tc solve the probe
lem Of property rights and job rights.
With neither group having a majority
in the governing board, questions
would be settled on their merits and