Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-08-16
Washington, D. c., Aug. 14.-Does

Washington, D. c., Aug. 14.-Does a
workman have a right to his job! inns
is a question. much discussed in recent
years, to which a definite answer may
be established in the near future as
one of the results of the current H.
dustrial upheaval. t.
The controversy over the seniority
rights of the striking railway EN-
plOyees has an indirect bearing on tne
question, and the settlement or tnls
controversy may point the way to tne
answer to the question. Obviously IL
is q matter of the greatest Importance
both to capital and to labor, the
general public is only slightly less IN
! terested in it. 1t is equally obvious
that the subject is debatable.
On the one side there is the CON
tention that if a worker gives efflcl-
emit service and complies with reason
able rules and working conditions ne
acquires a right in or to his JOB whlcn
corresponds at least in a degree 10 tne
property right of the employer in ms
invested capital and plant. This risne
increases with the length OF service OF
the worker. it is argued. and reiatlVe,
ly it is just as valuable to him as real
and personal property are to the en-
ployer. Therefore the CONCLUSION is
drawn that the worker should not DC
deprived of his job without due pro
cess any more than his employer
should be deprived of his property
without recourse to measure duly pro-
vided and established by law.
On the other side the argument Is
advanced that employment may De
given. withheld or withdrawn entirely
at the will or pleasure of the employer
and that the laborer has no rights IN
the premises except to his wage after
he has earned if. Employment is a
contract according TO this theory ana
when the employer has paid the wage
prescribed and fulfilled any other con
ditions that may be stipulated IN the
contract he is Quilted of all obligation.
The job is his and he gives 1t TO the
worker for a consideration. The work
er owns nothing but his time. his Ia
Dor and his skill. and these constitute
the consideration in return for which
he gets first the opportunity to work
and second the wage after he has rem
dered a specified service. IT LABOR Is
free. if q man can not be compelled 70
work against his will or accept u JOB
he does not like. then capital must be
no less free and the employer can not
be required to hire a man he does nor
like or does not want, or to retain 2
man if he sees fit TO terminate the
employment.
Third Side to Question.
But there is a third side to this
question. as there is to most phases of
the industrial problem-the public
side. From this viewpoint il is urged
that in this day and age industry Is
primarily a social institution and that
the promotion. operation and expan-
sion of industry should be a social
service su~bordinated to the genera
welfare of all the people. Rules and
rights as between employer and en-
ployed must be established not only on
the basis of what is fair and Just to
each. but on the basis of what IS best
for organized society. Consequently
society should have something TO say
about this question of a mans right to
his job.
A subject of this kind may perhaps
be presented more clearly and succinct-
" BY citing a concrete example Not
MANY months ago some several nun
dred workers here in Washington found
themselves out of jobs overnight. The
nations of the earth had decided on n
policy Of disarmament which meant that
all new construction for the United
States navy should be curtailed or
cease entirely. The workers in ques-
ZION had been employed in the navy
ward here when the navy department
set about carrying out a new policy
they were dismissed almost without
notice.
There was no question Of their eff