Evening star., 1922-08-02
DENIES SINCERELY
IN MANY STRIKES
Men Who Quit Should Have
No Say Over Jobs, Declares
L. c. Duncan.

10 the EQltOr OF Inc Stdr.
In considering the questions at is
sue in the present grave strikes. there
is one important point which does not
seem to me to have been sufficiently
elucidated.
In all widely drawn human strug-
giles both parties naturally attempt
to base their actions on WORLDWIDE
and fundamental principles of human
that it's actions are in strict conform
ance with such an uncontrovertable
rule then that party has an impreS-
nable position.
The present strikers. and all 'strik-
ers found their right to strike on the
great fundamental right that no man
may be compelled to work when he
wants to quit work. He can quit work
when he pleases, otherwise he would
be a species of slave. This right in
general, is undeniable.
But. when the right to quit work is
invoked. and in particular when it is
invoked in such manner and by
such concerted numbers as to en-
danger the welfare of the whole peo-
Pile, must not that quitting of work
solutely good faith? 1t seems SO: it
must be SO. The man who claims and
exercises the right to quit must
actually quit" not merely pretend
to quit.
Do strikers actually quit their jobs?
Every unpredjudiced man will say no.
Their own actions demonstrate the
contrary. They make no pretense of
really quitting, in their own secret
actions. or even in public. Every
move and stand Is made on the theory
that the jobs are still theirs.
Substitutes Abused.
When strikers quit" job they still
,1oit 70 hnl he hAc
abuse those who take it and those
who continue to work by calling them
scabs (Which should be an offense by
iaw).
When strikers voluntarily quit"
job. they. without exception. claim
all rights of seniority and strive to
compel employers to recognize their
retention of such rights, even over
men who have stood by the employers
in time of trouble. Again the truth of
the matter is clear; the Strikers. when
they claim rights of seniority admit
that they never really quit work at
ali and never intended to. The whole
thing was mere pretense, apparent
to all others and admitted by them
selves.
Is it not time that this farce of quit
ting be taken at precisely the value
given it by the strikers which is moth
ing whatever? Are they to be allowed
to quit job and hold it at the same
time? The right Of men. individually
and for cause. to quit work appears to
be undeniable; though something re-
mains to be said when it is a case Of
thousands conspiring to SO quit as to
endanger the supply Of all the necessi-
ties of life. The claimed right to go
while holding all the rights OF seniority
and preventing any other from taking
it is thing false on it's face. a fraud
on the people who suffer thereby. con-
trary to common honesty. and tends to
the downfall of public morals and popu-
lar government.
Responsibility of Congress.
Congress will some day provide real.
legal and equitable means for dealing
with strikes or preventing them. 1t
will not always act like primitive COM
munity. which fails to provide-in ad-
vance-a fire department for dealing
with fires. or a health department for
handling or preventing epidemics. 1t
will not always wait until the conf1a-
grafton threatens the welfare, II not the
existence Of the nation, and then turn
to some extemporized makeshift which
merely postpones the evil day. 1t will
not always leave the President. when
such a crisis arises. in the predicament
Of a fire chief facing terrible conflagra-
tion. but without any organized fremen
or efficient apparatus.
1t is unthinka BILE that great parties to
nation wide contest which involves
unlimited possibilities for loss and harm
to the whole people will long be allowed
to settle their quarrels by private war
fare. as did the powerful and ruthless
baronS Of the dark ages. We may i'm
agine what a storm Of inprecations and
threats those barons raised when 1t was
suggested that they submit their differ
ences &c legal tribunals instead Of
lighting 1t OUT and so involving a
large part Of the country In strfe-even
bloodshed. But they did finally submit
and the age Of private warfare, result
ing in ignorance and poverty for the
masses. was followed by peace and
prosperity.
The rule of action Is clear. Only the
government may use force; all others
must submit their contentious to duly
constituted courts.
But in the meantime, until the ma
tional government has followed the eN-
ample already set by one of the states.
and constituted a tribunal with author
:ty to adjudicate all threatened con-
tests between employers and employed.
no one should be longer imposed on by
so transparent a humbug as the pre-
tense Of quitting a Job while holding
most Of its perquisftes. No man can
quit a Job for g. purpose inimfcal to the
interests Of his employer and at the
same time hold 1t. both for the purpose
of seniority rights and pension, and to
prevent any other workman from TAX
iLg It. You cannot have your cake and
at the same time throw 1t away.
L. c. DUNCAN