THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1267, 11 June 1886, Page 3

THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.

{‘Melbourne Argus.’)

_ The epidemic of strikes, the general uprising of working men against their employers, revealing a widespread *• disaffection of labour,” in the United States, is quite unlike any conflict between capital aail labor which the present generation has .been witness of in Great Britain or her colon nies. Notwithstanding the rumoured strength and importance of the “ knights of labour,” whose mysterious organis ition gi-.es a touch of romance to the whole bnsi ■ ness, the impression which it leaves is that the American working min has yet to learn tho very rudiments of efficient labor organisation. The accounts of tho railway strikes in the Western and Southwestern States recall the old risings of “Luddites” and chardst mobs in England, and of “ Rebecca and her children ” in Wales, forty or fifty years ago. Although “ the knights ” have been in ex'Verice for four or five years, the fact seems to be that trades unionism, which has been reduced to a peaceful science in Great Britain and he - colonies, is not understood, and does not really exist at all, in Amerio >.

The knights of labor, as far as can he seen at piesent, area numerous but totally unorganised body. “General Master Workman” J. V. Powleily was, from the inception of the dispute with Gonld’s Railway quite unable to control the umveidly behemoth of which he was the nominal head, tie declares himself personaly opposed to strikes, and yet at a critical juncture in the negotiations at S nut Louis his amhoiily was ignored. and his advice scouted by the local 1 * District Master Workman,” Martin Irons. Strangely enough, during the thick of the late struggle, Powderley himselt was at Scranton, in Pensylvania laid up with what his doctor truly callel “ complications ” of quinoy, muscular rheumatism, three broken ri >3, and an abcess at each side of his neck. He seems to possess a good deal of genuine enthusiasm for the cause of labor, and a desire to-do right.. Whether he has the qualities of a leader and organiser and whether he can command the respect and confidence of his immense and scattered labor army, is very doubtful.

One difficulty in the way of the knights of labor is the vast extent of territory and the enormous distances to he covered in the United states. Their leader is expected to control local vagaries, -to be responsible tor men living under mo t varied conditions- men who never have, and probably never will, come into contact with their nominal leader. No ties, save those of re- ■ liyion and nationality, have ever b :en ab'e to keep hold upon men so widely separated as the American working man ia from the leaders and the headquarters of this new organisation. Mere commercial or labour associations will not thrive it th»y are scattered or dotted over a huge country like the United Smtes. The main secret of the efficiency of trades unions in Great Britain and in these colonies is the comp.actnes- of the working class population. Secretaries and presidents can “ lay their hands ” upon their fellow nnio ists in a tew hours. In dividuals .are known, and subscriptions cm bo collected. In these colonies, for instance, the resources of employers, the real condition of trade and profits, the chances of additional supplies of labour, etc, can be easily estimated. In short, tiade unions can concentrate their forces with certainty and celerity avhere production is coucen tratod in one or two largo places. At present nothing of the sort is possible in America.

Thera is accai n tb<* important fact that foreign labor from Germany, Scandinavia, Poland, Italy, etc., can bo imbed into the United States through every seaport. The American working man knows this ; henc perhaps the bitterness ami violence which have marked the recent strikes. The report in the American papers seem to indicate that the Socialist or anarchist rioti in Chicago were net directly e mneoted with the railway strikes. A different class of men altogether were concerned in each. It is some what remarkable', to find that one of the grievances of the 28.000 strikers in the “competing” . bituminous coal region in Pensyivania. was the “ truck system,” which has been illegal in England since 1831. The “non competing” or amalgamated coal companies in the anthracite region abolished the system a few years ago as it can only pay on the basis of cheating and false weights. It is to be remembered’ also, the American working man has no Saturday half-holiday. Long hours and fierce competition ire the rule. As hearing on the eight-hours movement which the knights of labor favour in principle, although it was not the main question during the recent strikes, little hostility was shown by manufacturers themselves—provided the system could be universally enforc'd. Mr Arthur, the president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, however, tells a reporter of the Associated Press : .•‘lt is my sentiment that, as long as a man has his health and strength, he should work as steadily as possible, as many hours as he can in justice to himself, earn as much money as possible, and save as he can. Then, when he is unable to work ha nan live upon the reward for bis'toil," 41 But they charge von with having sat 1 that fewer hours of labor moms more time to bo j spent a saloon." “ Well is that not true to a large extent ? These people who are clamouring loudest for the reduction are in

all probability jost. the olaas that would make that use of their lime. It does uot apply, however, to ad working men. There lapgeplasstbpt would d;vo‘e the time Wtfieir own a'lvane raent, and would profa i'dy appreciate a reduction ” Less than twenty fives seem to have been lost on b >th sides during the vVestern Railway. Strikes. Life is held cheaper in the States than in the Queen's dominions. Indeed, during; the rail way riots at Pittsburgh and Chicago in 1877, ‘ 7S’men were killed and 2,10 wounded in two days, so there is an dm .roveraent this time. The Executive of the knights of labour seem to have dono their best to restrain their followers, and the worst ontra/es wre committed by outsiders. .V Hist S'.. Louis the mob is led by a prof - t ..nal 'amber, Texas, the theatre of the stngmniay skirmish at Fort Worth, abounds with rowdies and desperadoes—the tags and ends of the old “ cowboy and border ruffianpopulation. A story of the strikers poisoning the we'll comes from that region ; but this may be apocryphal—or reportnrial. after the manner of the American reporter. Terrible responsibiity attaches to any manor body of men who stir up a hu.e quarrel of this kind. P.iwderly assorts his intention of expelling end prosecuting riotous members of the order. Bat his power to do this is .doubtful? Tne fact that the kni;h‘s knew from the start that they wore practically without organisation, and therefore sure to lose in the end, partly accounts for their lawlessness. It may he said that in proportion as trades unions are organised, the pr ibvbi'ities of vio'enco—in connection with fair and square disputes as to wanes or hj urs—disappear. Trades unions in Great Britain and these colonies may now and then, by abusing that strength which their organisation gives them, " drive away capita',’ 1 as the phrase goes, and ultira taly injure both their own cause and busmess generally. But not only do these evils right themselves with tine. but it is also found among men of Anglo-Saxon race at all event*, the sense of power develop is a spirit of moderation, an 1 renders all but impossible those act! of blind fury and lawlessness which used to accompany strikes in Great Britain years ago. It remains to he seen whether Pow lerly or bis successor will ever bo able to get his vast and unweihly organisation into shape. The task has been too much for him hitherto, and he anil hj s kni ,hts have certainly not succeeded in enlisting public sympathy in the United States.