Evening star., 1937-01-14

less SOUlSIklnlS Ill D..;x
the way Of finan-
cial gain is given them as a condition
to their giving up the property, 1t Is
really a form of extortion.
That's what the "sit-down strike"
has developed into in modern labor
warfare. Carried to its logical con-
clusion, it means, If sustained by
public opinion or by the courts, the
following things:
l. A man who comes in to fix the
electric light or the plumbing or lay
the carpet can demand an increase
in his pay or refuse to let the occu-
pants Of the house use the property
in question.
2 A group OF employees OF a store
can seize the cash register or the
keys to the store rooms and keep the
proprietor from getting access to
either one or both.
3. Employees of railroad can take
possession of trains and not allow
the railroads to move them until de-
mands are met.
4. Elevator employees can take pos
session of elevators and refuse to
allow anybody to get into them to
reach upper floors unless the man.
agement pays the wage increases de-
manded.
S. Garment workers can seize the
machines and the clothing on which
they are working and refuse to allow
machines or goods to be shipped out
Of plant.
Obliged to Respect Laws.
Almost any form of industrial
sabotage is possible If the Shutdown
strike" is to be regarded hereafter
As a legal strike. In England, the
law Of the land distinguishes between
q legal and an Illegal strike. In
America, the right to strike Is con-
caded, but it is circumscribed by the
obligation to respect the laws Of the
State and the Federal Government.
Up to now, the legal strike in
America has been carried on by means
of peaceful picketing" outside a plant,
SO that prospective workers who wish
to take the place of the strikers may
be persuaded" not to take the
strikers jobs or so that the public
may be persuaded to boycott the
products of the plant where the strike
occurs. This has been upheld by the
courts. Federal and State.
But II the "sit-down strike" Is now
to be added to the legal weapons OF
industrial combat. then new situa-
ton has been injected into the Amer
lean system Of government, and
forcible seizure of another persons
property and demands for money or
other advantages as a ransom or con-
dition of release becomes legalized ex-
tortion.
Should extortion in labor negotia-
tions be sustained, then the protection
OF property rights as well as manage
ment will doubtless undergo pro-
found transformation. The rights OF
ownership would then, Of course, be
considerably diminished.
Laws Provide Remedy.
But does not the common law or
the statute law Of the States provide
q remedy? There Is Federal statute
known as an anti-racketeering law
which makes it a felonious offense to
seize property and attempt extortion,
but there must be proof that the acts
are related to interstate commerce.
The acts complained of in the auto
mobile situation, on the other hand,
are wholly in a State and fall en-
tirely within the obligations OF the
State of Michigan.
There is plenty Of State law on
which to base injunctionS against
trespassing strikers and to restrain
'sit-down" strikes, but SO is there
plenty of law in Pennsylvania to
prosecute the miners and others who
are stealing and selling what is known
as bootleg" coal So also was there
plenty of law under the Volstead act,
but few convictions by juries for
many offenses committed during pro-
hibition.
Public opinion or public sentiment
often repesls laws, and, in Michigan,
the sheriff who was entrusted with
the carrying out Of an injunction
last week did not insist on its en-
forcement. If he arrested those
charged with the perpetration of
"sit-down" strike or with conspiracy
to carry on such restraint OF pro-
duction and then the juries failed to
convict, 1t would mean in effect that
"sit-down" strikes and extortion had
been sanctioned by public opinion.
Form Of Revolution.
There is a large number Of persons
who honestly believe they have
right to seize peoples property because
they believe the workers have equal
rights with proprietors. Something
OF the same philosophy was back Of
the destruction of the rights Of private
property in Russia under the COM
munistic regime. Likewise, in Europe,
the "sit-down" strike is being plainly
recognized now as . form Of revolu-
ton.
Gov. Murphy Of Michigan has called
out the militia to preserve law and
order, that Is to prevent outbreaks Of
violence between the strikers and the
workers who have been prevented
from working at their jobs. There Is
no evidence as yet that the Governor
Of Michigan has perceived that the
judicial system Of the State OF Michi-
gan has broken down the moment
court injunction has not been enforced
by local authority.
It Is fortunate In many ways that