The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1926.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 August 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1926.

THE EIGHT TO STRIKE. As bearing; out the belief that the trouble in the British mining industry is not necessarily an indication of the relationship between owners and men in British industries generally, a reminder may he given that it was only in March last that the longest period of idleness in the American anthracite coal industry was ended in * a strike settlement. In this ease the'miners renounced bv a contract which runs until August 31st., 1930 their claims to

wage increases, and agreed to a plan of possible 'wage modification one year after January Ist., 1027. Tlie 1/0 days stoppage gave a net result of losses, hardship, inconvenience and suffering for all parlies, the miners, and the public. In commenting upon tho settlement- the National City Bank Circular remarked that with the progress made in tho use of substituto fuels, the anthracite industry faces the grave danger of the permanent loss of much business, a circumstance whereby the futility of resort to force in tho settlement of industrial differences is held to have been proved. In recent labour troubles in many countries the doctrine that those in authority, in other words the Government, cannot make men work for wages they are not willing to accept, nor compel employers to pay a wage which tho workers may name, has been generally accepted. As a distinguished lawyer analysing the situation from the American constitutional standpoint recently pointed out., however, a country cannot he dependent always upon the caprice of the men who own mines or who work in them. The latter have a perfect right to leave their work, but i?he.y have no right to combine, as many circumstances show they have done,to prevent- tho operation of the mines, to prevent others who arej willing to work from working, or to prevent others from operating tho mines. The feeling i.s that if necessary there should he a constitutional amendment prohibiting a combination of miners

and operators against public welfare, and considerable interest may bo attached to this doctrine of the suliordination in some degree of individual freedom for the security of society. It is contended that the doctrine is not to the disadvantage of the wage earning class, which, indeed, constitutes the greater part of society, and therefore, has most to gain by it. The very rational viewpoint which will, in all probability, serve as the basis of future legislation for which constitutional amendments may or jnav not he necessary, has been outlined as follows: “The essence of the doctrine is that no minority group may rightfully take possession of property or services which are essential to the community life and deny their use to the public. This principle lias been long enforced against proj>erty rights. The owners

of water works or railroads could not witli-liold thorn from public use, and it is equally clear that the workmen upon such utilities have not the right l>.y intimidation or agreement among themselves to prevent or suppress their use. The right of the individual to leave one job for another in order to better his condition is indisputed, hut to quit work in a body with the purpose of paralysing a public service is an act of a. very different character. These conditions are not imposed upon wage earners by employers or for the benefit of employers, but by society for the common good. They are made necessary by the conditions of modern life, the aggregations of people in cities, their dependence upon artificial services, the division of labor and skilled services. Since all classes of people enjoy the benefits of those services there is a common obligation to maintain them, or at least not to conspire against them. A way must be found to settle differences without suspending them. Kn single group has a right to take a strangle hold of the community as a means of enforcing its own demands. Without general agreement upon this civilised society as we know it, is impossible. There is no reason to doubt that all classes will come in time to full recognition of these principles. The most thoughtful labor leaders recognise them now, but time is required to bring the rank and fde of the organisations to the point of willingness to waive the most powerful weapon that labor knows, the strike.”