The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-07-15
LABOR UNIONS OR LAW

1t is probable that within the next
few days the entire force of union
men operating the railroads Of the
United States will go out on nation
wide strike, and union labor in other
callings may join them in a sympa-
thetic walk-out. This may go to such
an extent that the country will be
driven into what will be practically
civil war. Whenever there is strike
there is disorder, and the events of
the past few days indicate that big
strike will mean great deal of dis
order. In this, the public is at a dis
advantage. 1t is unorganized-union
labor is always organized. And union
labor now is always armed. In the old
days, when strikes were made by
Americans, trying to win some OF
their rights from the oppression OF
capitalism, the union man seldom had
anything but his fists-and public
opinion. Now he is fighting not cap
ital, but his government and his fell
low citizens, and he has revolvers,
rifles and dynamite. But he has lost
public opinion, which will back up the
police, the militia and the regular
troops. 1t will also back up the
strike Notwithstanding it never
did before.
It is the Stars opinion that the Ia
Dor board made mistake in ordering
a cut in wages at this time. Railroad
men are like men in other callings
Some, comparatively few, are paid en-
tirely too much. A few are paid en-
tirely too. little. Between the ex
tremes is the great mass, part OF
which is paid, compared with othe1
workers, more than enough-but the
great mass is paid just enough, and
cut in it's wages reduces its member:
from comfort to poverty. In cutting
the wages of these men down, the rail
road labor board, in our opinion, ha'
been unjust.
However-the railroad men hav'
brought this trouble on themselves
they gouged the government and thei
fellow citizens when the country wa
in need and in danger; they took from
the people at large vast sum in back
nav. which was nothing more nor les
than steal, and which they woul'
have, been loud to denounce as stea
if it had been taken from the publ
to give to men in any other work; the,
luxxuriated in good pay and shor
hours when the vast majority of tn
nations young men were not onl,
working like convicts but facing dis
ease. wounds and death for thirt
dollars month; and they needn't ex
pect the people to forget so soon. TIL
rule against which they rebel is hars
it may be unjust-but it is accord
inp to law. In spite of the reduction
thew were better paid than the ma
iority of their fellow citizens in sim
liar work. They have a right to qui
work. They have no right to try t
nreyent other men from doing tn
work they have refused. They hav
no right to shoot or beat other men,
tt often occurs that bad laws ar
nsased-laws that are oppressive
he people. But the people do not g
ON strike. They grin and bear the e1
feets of bad law until they get use
to il or their representatives repeal
TRey do this because the reign OF tn
law &C a general thing, is beneficial
and they must stand some evil for tn
sake of the good. The railroad me
have accepted rulings of the. labe
board that were to their interest
they had accepted this last ruling an
stood by the board the time would NJ
have been long before it again rule
for their beneht.
The Government and the public WI
be foolish to the last degree II they G
not fight this strike to finish. III
strikers cannot win unless the govern
ment and the public lie down and IL
organized labor walk over them.
the people do this they will find the
troubles have just begun. Organize
labor will dominate and interfere wit
everything. 1t will create the wor'
tyranny the world has ever seen, an
than it will create chaos, for organize
labor in power, as sure as sunrise an
sunset, will split into factions an
light itself-and finish by draggin
America into the same gulf whel
Russia now wallows.
The often proclaimed intention
the railway unions to starve the PEI
PIE INTO submission by tying up tran
portation is just as much war as tt
war Germany and Austria made on tt