The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-18

to very serious question and calls
for the Intervention of government,
because
"The right to agree with all 9TH
ers to quit work until any and all
demands, economic or political, are
met, regardless Of the suffering or
deaths of the population, is thing
that is always in the realm of pos
sibility as logical sequence, and
in such a case the existing govern
ment would be in effect overthrow
in favor of an economic oligarchy.'
Principles Important
The foregoing principles are i'm
portant because they are directly
involved in the federal govern
ment's effort to deal with strikes
on transportation systems and in
the production of fuel. There is
little doubt that the discussion Just
begun by Secretary of Labor Davis
to amend the transportation act
and to abolish the labor board will
revive the anti-strike clauses
which were first proposed for the
Esch- CumminS law.
Whatever evolution the debate
may develop in the next several
months, it is probable that the bas-
ic ideas applied by Governor Allen
will play vital part in the pro
and con of the congressional dis
cussion.
Not 1Anti-Strike" Law.
Governor Allen argues, for in
stance, that "the right to quit work
is entirely different from the right
to strike, and that even if the
Kansas law were primarily an
anti-strike law, which is not the
case. it would still be untruthful
to say the law would deprive a
man of the right to quit work"
The Kansas governor differs to
some extent with the view recently
adopted by the railroad executives
and some members of the United
States railroad labor board who
contend that the strikers had in
effect quit their employment.
Striking" says Governor Allen,
''in the meaning universally ac-
cepted by all organized labor in
cluded, carries with it the very
necessary and important implica-
ton of resuming work after the de-
mands are granted. Striking,
therefore is not abandoning the
job. On the other hand, it i'm
plies the opposite idea-a rather
marked desire to keep the job so as
to get higher wages"
There Is a Difference.
The Kansas governor is of the
opinion that legislation could be
enacted which would sharply diff
ferentiate between striking and the
mere quitting Of work.
"A law against abandoning a
job" he adds, would be obviously
in conflict with the 18th amend
ment forbidding involuntary seryi-
tude. No one would be so stupid or
short-sighted as to propose any
such law. And for that matter.
there is no pressing need for any
law to prevent striking except
where striking threatens the lives
and welfare of the public"
Under the present law of Kansas.
the Intervention of the industrial
court occurs when essential pro-
duction of direct relation to the
public welfare is affected. Thou
sands of strikes could go on in
candy plants or in piano-making
factories and the public welfare
wouldn't be disturbed and the
court Of Kansas would ignore the
{, trouble, but should strike of coal
| miners or some other of the neces-
sites of life develop, the court
/ takes jurisdiction at once.
No Arbitration Board.
The Kansas cour. Of three judges
Is not an arbitration board. It
doesn't consist of a representative
OF labor. a representative of can't
tai and neutral. 1t consists of