The Connecticut labor news., 1922-01-13
LECISI ATION TO PREVENT STRIKES
 BASED ON SUPERIOR OLASS' IDEALS
ReviVes Ancient Theory of Master and Slave While Hiding Under Guise of "Service to the Public"

powerful business interests in that state are demanding this legislation.
 As usual, power and greed is blind to history and present-day experience. Eng lands "can't-strike" record IS forgotten, the collapse of this system in Australia Is ignored and today's turmoil and dis sension in Colorado and Kansas mean nothing to those who would handcuff workers to their jobs.
 Rhetoric, sophistry and legalisn fail to conceal the viciousness of this proposal. Its one-sidedness is apparent to any open minded citizen. It only fails of its pur- pose but 1t engenders contempt for all law. Workers might be forced into obedience, but they cannot be convinced that they must labor against their will in land dedicated to freedom.
 This resentment bodes i'll for the the ory of equality before the law.
 Workers do not fail to note that only they are denied freedom. No other ele- ment of our citizenship is compelled to give service against their will. No other element is forced to accept the edict of state tribunal in matters relating to wages, salary or other remuneration.
 No other element is questioned on their cost of living or denied the right to set their own living standard.
 It may be said that profits of corpora tions can be limited by taxation, so wages may be fixed by law.
 There is no analogy between profits and wages, despite contrary reasoning by superficial men.
 The corporation may be taxed, but no one suggests that the managers of the corporation be interfered with. Their living standard Is never charted with the mathematical exactness that workers are subjected to. These managers have a free hand in setting their own wages and this is a charge on the corporation be- fore profits are considered.
 No capitalist is ever cited to show how many limousines, touring cars, town houses, country estates, or trips to Europe are necessary for him. He is the sole judge. He alone sets his income, charges it as an expense to his business, the same as interest depreciation, etc. After these charges are cared for, he figures his profit.
 To compare the regulation of corpora tions or the limiting of profits with the regulation of human beings struggling for a wage that assures decent living standards is to question ones intellect Neither can defenders of "can't-strike" legislation logically plead that human rights shall be subverted to "service to the public'
 Service to the public" does not apply to capitalists who close their plants and bring suffering to a community or to monopolists who seize natural resources.
 Service to the public" does not apply to banks that contract credit boost in terest rates, def1ate values and cause gen. eral ruin.
 Cant strike" legislation revives the ancient theory of master and slave, baron and serf. It puts workers separ- ate and apart from all other groups.
 It installs the machinery of the state in the home of every wage earner while men responsible for this condition decry class legislation and insist that govern ment shall not interfere with the indivi- dual.
 It recalls the theory of ancient Greece, which is secretly accepted by those who lack the courage and ability to openly de- fend their Superior class" belief
 Twenty-Five centuries ago the worlds greatest philosophers insisted that by holding workers to their tasks intellect ual development and moral perfection of the few were possible.
 Although this theory was defended by the greatest minds the world ever knew, slavery was swept aside by the democratzing and humanizing influences of the ages.
 It is now taken up by second-rate traders and other idealless persons who are interested in nothing but profit and their own convenience.
 They talk of "service to the public, though their lives are a contradiction tc this claim. "Service" is no part of ti?eir lives. Their phrases to hatter, fool, ca jole and exploit the people are tiresome and lack originality.
 Workers oppose "can't-strike" laws and will not recognize -hen.
 The proposal is only worthy of tte contempt of every genuine American