Evening star., 1937-01-28

as a person entitled to protection
under the law, but as one who is
himself trespasser.
This result flows naturally from
the statement authorized by the
Secretary Of Labor here to the effect
that the question of legality or il
legality of "sit-doWn" strikes is
vague twilight zone that has not been
determined.
Such a comment is derived from
the theory that workman some
how acquires a right of property in
the Job itself and that he can seize
q portion Of q plant as a means Of
holding his own Job against some
one who might be hired to replace
him.
Works Both Ways.
But If this theory is sound, it works
both ways in practice. General Motors
claims 1t has 70 per cent Of its en-
ployes anxious to go back to work.
Within the last "a hours, various
plants have been reopened and loyal
workers have gone into the plants.
What will happen when some one tries
inside plant to prevent them from
working will probably be unknown to
the outside world, as it will be
case of might makes right-majority
rule under force.
This regrettable situation, which
turns the clock back many centuries
and substitutes anarchy for democracy,
is the direct result Of the unlawful
seizure of company property by
strikers in the first instance and the
unwillingness of the Roosevelt ad-
rninistration to condemn such un-
lawful acts publicly or Of the authori-
ties Of the State Of Michigan to en-
force the laws Of property in that
State.
Already 1t Is reported that, in other
auto plants, outside the General
Motors Co., "sit-down" strikers have
been roughly treated by their fellow
workmen. Hitherto, violence due to
picketing has gone on outside fac
tories in the public thoroughfares.
but now 1t will occur inside the plants,
where the law will be taken into the
workmen's own hands.
Tragic Climax Feared.
Such q situation cannot go on with
out q major episode that Is calculated
to bring the whole controversy to q
tragic climax, and it Is this aspect
Of the developments which Is most
feared today.
Meanwhile, the reported request Of
the Secretary Of Labor for more power
from Congress to compel various
parties to an industrial dispute to at
tend conferences called by the Govern
ment may prove superfluous, because
General Motors executives are said
to be willing to come to Washington
to discuss collective Bargaining or any
other issues when their properties
have been restored to the owners.
It may well be that the General
Motors strike will, for the time being,
resolve itself into a battle between
those who want to work and those
who wish to prevent them from work.
ing. This would be an extraordinary
situation, especially as the right to
strike has always been emphasized in
labor warfare and rarely has there
been much assertion Of the right to
work.
Workers May Protect Jobs.
Ordinarily workers have looked to
the police and public authority to
protect them against a minority who
tried to picket them by violence. And
the courts have issued injunctions
against those who have been guilty
of the use Of physical force instead
Of peaceful persuasion.
But now, since the local authorities
decline or hesitate to act, the work.
man must furnish his own protection.
The outcry in a recent mass meeting
of loyal workers, who were asked by
one Of the speakers whether they
were ready to fight for their jobs, was
q significant chorus In the afflrma-
tive.
When, therefore, workmen have TO
fight for their Jobs and have to sub
stitute their own fists for the protec-
ton Of the law that they formerly
had, a crisis in labor relations may
be said to have arrived.
The Washington administration
thus far has dealt with the situation
as If 1t were a battle between forces
entitled to use any weapon at their
disposal irrespective Of the law.
Whether this policy will be changed
by untoward happenings remains to
be seen, but the issue of the "Sit.
down" strike clearly means trouble,
and every incident aggravating the
controversy is going to make more