The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-07-27
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
SHOP CRAFTS STRIKE

from other men. 1t is just as much
crime to threaten or assault or
murder man for the purpose of
keeping him from working as it is
to threaten or assault or murder
him for the purpose of robbing him.
Strikes such as this are accom-
panied by what is euphoniously
called peaceful picketing.' The
picketing is peaceful until some men
try to work under the conditions or
for the wages against which others
have struck. Then the pickets
usually begin to persuade" them
not to work by beating, stabbing or
killing them. The present strike
has reached this stage. In every
part of the country attacks by strik-
ers upon men who have tried to
work have ben reported. The strike
leaders constantly express pious
hopes and wishes that there shall be
no violence. Most of them are un-
doubleday sincere; but the outrages
continue. This raises squarely the
question whether the public officials
who have sworn to enforce the laws
have the disposition and power to
do SO. It raises squarely the ques-~
ton whether the forces Of law and
order are stronger than the forces of
lawlessness and disorder. Usually
the forces of law and order have tri-
umphed in this country. When
violence begins in a strike 1t almost
invariably indicates that the strik-
ers are losing ground and know it.
It began early in this strike.
The situation in many respects is
tragic. 1t Is depressing to realize
that after all the progress that has
been made in increasing the ef-
ficiency of industry 1t is still impos-
sible to pay large part of the work.
ers wages sufficient to enable them
to live in reasonable comfort. 1t is
hardly less depressing to realize that
most working men are so ignorant
and SO badly led they are unaware
that this condition Is at least as
much the fault of themselves mad
their leaders, as 1t is Of the system
of industry against which they in
weigh and which many of them
WOuAu AAhO " OVCItuIOW. IL Is
easily conceivable that with modern
methods and machinery labor and
capital could so cooperate as in a
short time to secure an increase of
production which would enable the
average worker to receive the eQuva-
lent in necessaries, comforts and
luxuries of the $2,637 year of
which the labor leaders talk. Short
coming of human nature, which
vitiate both labor and management,
prevent it. If labor and capital
would both use as much skill and
energy in increasing production as
they do in fighting over the division
of what is produced the problems of
both would be largely solved.
1t is also depressing to recall all
the efforts that have been made to
devise means Of peacefully settling
the differences that arise over the
division of what is produced and
then contemplate the situation now
existing in the United States. Bust
ness conditions of other kinds have
improved so much that, except the
coal strike and the railway strike, !
the total production of necessities,
comforts and luXuries in the United !
States undoubtedly would be greater
today than it ever was before. These |
two strikes, however, which are the |
results of efforts to settle by force
what ought to have been settled by
reason, already have prevented a |
normal and even more than normal
increase of production.
Congress, in adopting the labor
provisions of the Transportation
Act, tried to establish means of
peacefully settling railway labor
controversies and of substituting in
this field, at least, the rule of reason
for the rule of force. But human
nature cannot be changed by legisla-
tive 'enactments; and the country
has upon its hands this shop mems
strike. But the laws of economies
are still in operation and cannot be
repealed either by statutes or by
force Increased efficiency in pro-
ductton can enable industry to pay
wages of much greater purchasing
power. Nothing else can. Strikes
interfere with increased production,
and therefore, in the long run
hinder increases in real wages. AS
long as there are labor unions that
are led and composed of men who
would rather carry on strikes and
propaganda than help increase the
efficiency of production, we shall
continue to have strikes and most
labor unions will contiue to be
agencies not for enabling higher
wages to be paid, but for making
their payment more difficult
Age. July Is, 1922. adv.
CHRISTIAN CHURCHES