The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-21
THE INDUSTRIAL TRUCE.

Z
to an end thru compromises. but moth
ing is settled. Each side has been
! compelled to yield something of what
it believes right. Both will now be-
gin preparations for the next struggle
which each knows is certain to come
/ unIeAs steps be taken by government
to establish a power which will effec-
| tuaIIy prevent future Industrial war
/ fare.
Some OF the points. regarding which
developments before and since these
strikes began have disclosed irrecon-
cilAble differences between employers
and employees in large scale industries,
are set forth by the Railway Age as
follows:
First. labor unions insist upon ma
tional negotiations and action. Their
leaders do this principally because
they believe that negotiations and ac-
ton by the labor unions on a national
scale will give them the maximum pos
| sible power to enforce their demands.
! Employers oppose national negotia-
tions and action because they probably
| do give labor unions the maximum
possible power and because employers
naturally are unwilling to agree to a
policy having the purpose and effect
of giving labor unions almost irresist-
ible power.
Then the labor unions demand
wages which are based upon estimates
of the needs. real or imaginary, OF
their members and their families.
Employers will not. and in fact, can
not grant what the labor unions de-
tons industry cannot produce enough
to give the members of the labor
unions what they demand.
In seeking the maximum possible
power and in making demands which
it is economically impossible to grant,
some of the largest and most impor-
tant labor unions are trying to over
throw the present system of private
ownership and management of certain
industries and to replace it with some
such system as the Plumb Ian. EN-
ployers engaged in private industry
never will long grant demands which
they know are made with the purpose
Of overthrowing private ownership
and management, and the granting of
which will tend to produce that result.
The labor unions maintain that
when their members strike even
against a decision of the labor board
they retain unimpaired their rights to
the jobs at which they have quit work
ing. and that this carries with it the
right on their part to prevent other
men from taking these jobs, and the
right to be restored to them when the
strike is settled. Neither the railways
OIL, 90
can accept this principle, because its
acceptance necessarily would give
men disposed TO work almost no in |
centive to do so, and men disposed to
strike every incentive to do so, and
| render victory for the strikers prac-
tically certain in every strike.
The labor unions claim for their |
members the right to put pickets al
every point affected by a strike, and
to have the pickets use every form of !
| persuasion" to keep men from work |
ing. In every important strike such
picketing results in violence. The
pickets may be the authors or the vic
Tins of the violence, but experience |
shows that where picketing is done
violence is practically inevitable. Vio- |
lence results in most communities in |
local police, United States marshals or |
troops being called TO suppress and |
prevent it. In the shipments strike |
not only the strikers but employees in |
| train service who sympathize with |
them, have resented the use of armed |
guards to protect men who want to |
work. and in some cases have struck |
in plain violation of their contracts
with the railways rather than work |
where there are armed guards. But |
employers never can agree to the la
Dor union theory that they should not
seek police or military protection for
property and men who are willing to |
work. for this. like agreeing to the
labor unions theory regarding senior
lily. would be to concede victory to the
| strikers from the very start.
Since such irreconcilable differences
exist between certain classes of en-
pioyers and labor unions. it is plain |
that strikes In large scale industries
with resulting assaults. murders, de-
struction Of property. and most seri- |
Gus interference with business of all |
kinds, are inevitable. unless the pub
lie intervenes to prevent them.
1t must be apparent that unless the |
public, thru its government. does fore |
IDLY intervene the struggle between |
employers and labor unions will grow |
more extensive, more bitter and pro- |
tracted, more lawless and ruinous, !
and that only enforcement OF the prin- |
ciple of arbitration and enforcement |
of the laws against violence. whatever |
its pretext or purpose, can save the |
country from drifting sooner or later |
into condition OF affairs far worse |
than that which exists at present.