war of the classes-第16章

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school　education　would　shame　princes　ten　centuries　past。　　His　civil

and　religious　liberty　makes　him　a　free　man；　and　his　ballot　the　peer

of　his　betters。　　And　all　this　has　tended　to　make　him　conscious；

conscious　of　himself；　conscious　of　his　class。　　He　looks　about　him

and　questions　that　ancient　law　of　development。　　It　is　cruel　and

wrong；　he　is　beginning　to　declare。　　It　is　an　anachronism。　　Let　it　be

abolished。　　Why　should　there　be　one　empty　belly　in　all　the　world；

when　the　work　of　ten　men　can　feed　a　hundred？　　What　if　my　brother　be

not　so　strong　as　I？　　He　has　not　sinned。　　Wherefore　should　he　hunger…

…he　and　his　sinless　little　ones？　　Away　with　the　old　law。　　There　is

food　and　shelter　for　all；　therefore　let　all　receive　food　and

shelter。



As　fast　as　labor　has　become　conscious　it　has　organized。　　The

ambition　of　these　class…conscious　men　is　that　the　movement　shall

become　general；　that　all　labor　shall　become　conscious　of　itself　and

its　class　interests。　　And　the　day　that　witnesses　the　solidarity　of

labor；　they　triumphantly　affirm；　will　be　a　day　when　labor　dominates

the　world。　　This　growing　consciousness　has　led　to　the　organization

of　two　movements；　both　separate　and　distinct；　but　both　converging

toward　a　common　goalone；　the　labor　movement；　known　as　Trade

Unionism；　the　other；　the　political　movement；　known　as　Socialism。

Both　are　grim　and　silent　forces；　unheralded　and　virtually　unknown　to

the　general　public　save　in　moments　of　stress。　　The　sleeping　labor

giant　receives　little　notice　from　the　capitalistic　press；　and　when

he　stirs　uneasily；　a　column　of　surprise；　indignation；　and　horror

suffices。



It　is　only　now　and　then；　after　long　periods　of　silence；　that　the

labor　movement　puts　in　its　claim　for　notice。　　All　is　quiet。　　The

kind　old　world　spins　on；　and　the　bourgeois　masters　clip　their

coupons　in　smug　complacency。　　But　the　grim　and　silent　forces　are　at

work。



Suddenly；　like　a　clap　of　thunder　from　a　clear　sky；　comes　a

disruption　of　industry。　　From　ocean　to　ocean　the　wheels　of　a　great

chain　of　railroads　cease　to　run。　　A　quarter　of　a　million　miners

throw　down　pick　and　shovel　and　outrage　the　sun　with　their　pale；

bleached　faces。　　The　street　railways　of　a　swarming　metropolis　stand

idle；　or　the　rumble　of　machinery　in　vast　manufactories　dies　away　to

silence。　　There　is　alarm　and　panic。　　Arson　and　homicide　stalk　forth。

There　is　a　cry　in　the　night；　and　quick　anger　and　sudden　death。

Peaceful　cities　are　affrighted　by　the　crack　of　rifles　and　the　snarl

of　machine…guns；　and　the　hearts　of　the　shuddering　are　shaken　by　the

roar　of　dynamite。　　There　is　hurrying　and　skurrying。　　The　wires　are

kept　hot　between　the　centre　of　government　and　the　seat　of　trouble。

The　chiefs　of　state　ponder　gravely　and　advise；　and　governors　of

states　implore。　　There　is　assembling　of　militia　and　massing　of

troops；　and　the　streets　resound　to　the　tramp　of　armed　men。　　There

are　separate　and　joint　conferences　between　the　captains　of　industry

and　the　captains　of　labor。　　And　then；　finally；　all　is　quiet　again；

and　the　memory　of　it　is　like　the　memory　of　a　bad　dream。



But　these　strikes　become　olympiads；　things　to　date　from；　and　common

on　the　lips　of　men　become　such　phrases　as　〃The　Great　Dock　Strike；〃

〃The　Great　Coal　Strike；〃　〃The　Great　Railroad　Strike。〃　　Never　before

did　labor　do　these　things。　　After　the　Great　Plague　in　England；

labor；　finding　itself　in　demand　and　innocently　obeying　the　economic

law；　asked　higher　wages。　　But　the　masters　set　a　maximum　wage；

restrained　workingmen　from　moving　about　from　place　to　place；　refused

to　tolerate　idlers；　and　by　most　barbarous　legal　methods　punished

those　who　disobeyed。　　But　labor　is　accorded　greater　respect　today。

Such　a　policy；　put　into　effect　in　this　the　first　decade　of　the

twentieth　century；　would　sweep　the　masters　from　their　seats　in　one

mighty　crash。　　And　the　masters　know　it　and　are　respectful。



A　fair　instance　of　the　growing　solidarity　of　labor　is　afforded　by　an

unimportant　recent　strike　in　San　Francisco。　　The　restaurant　cooks

and　waiters　were　completely　unorganized；　working　at　any　and　all

hours　for　whatever　wages　they　could　get。　　A　representative　of　the

American　Federation　of　Labor　went　among　them　and　organized　them。

Within　a　few　weeks　nearly　two　thousand　men　were　enrolled；　and　they

had　five　thousand　dollars　on　deposit。　　Then　they　put　in　their　demand

for　increased　wages　and　shorter　hours。　　Forthwith　their　employers

organized。　　The　demand　was　denied；　and　the　Cooks'　and　Waiters'　Union

walked　out。



All　organized　employers　stood　back　of　the　restaurant　owners；　in

sympathy　with　them　and　willing　to　aid　them　if　they　dared。　　And　at

the　back　of　the　Cooks'　and　Waiters'　Union　stood　the　organized　labor

of　the　city；　40；000　strong。　　If　a　business　man　was　caught

patronizing　an　〃unfair〃　restaurant；　he　was　boycotted；　if　a　union　man

was　caught；　he　was　fined　heavily　by　his　union　or　expelled。　　The

oyster　companies　and　the　slaughter　houses　made　an　attempt　to　refuse

to　sell　oysters　and　meat　to　union　restaurants。　　The　Butchers　and

Meat　Cutters；　and　the　Teamsters；　in　retaliation；　refused　to　work　for

or　to　deliver　to　non…union　restaurants。　　Upon　this　the　oyster

companies　and　slaughter　houses　acknowledged　themselves　beaten　and

peace　reigned。　　But　the　Restaurant　Bakers　in　non…union　places　were

ordered　out；　and　the　Bakery　Wagon　Drivers　declined　to　deliver　to

unfair　houses。



Every　American　Federation　of　Labor　union　in　the　city　was　prepared　to

strike；　and　waited　only　the　word。　　And　behind　all；　a　handful　of　men；

known　as　the　Labor　Council；　directed　the　fight。　　One　by　one；　blow

upon　blow；　they　were　able　if　they　deemed　it　necessary　to　call　out

the　unionsthe　Laundry　Workers；　who　do　the　washing；　the　Hackmen；

who　haul　men　to　and　from　restaurants；　the　Butchers；　Meat　Cutters；

and　Teamsters；　and　the　Milkers；　Milk　Drivers；　and　Chicken　Pickers；

and　after　that；　in　pure　sympathy；　the　Retail　Clerks；　the　Horse

Shoers；　the　Gas　and　Electrical　Fixture　Hangers；　the　Metal　Roofers；

the　Blacksmiths；　the　Blacksmiths'　Helpers；　the　Stablemen；　the

Machinists；　the　Brewers；　the　Coast　Seamen；　the　Varnishers　and

Polishers；　the　Confectioners；　the　Upholsterers；　the　Paper　Hangers

and　Fresco　Painters；　the　Drug　Clerks；　the　Fitters　and　Helpers；　the

Metal　Workers；　the　Boiler　Makers　and　Iron　Ship　Builders；　the

Assistant　Undertakers；　the　Carriage　and　Wagon　Workers；　and　so　on

down　the　lengthy　list　of　organizations。



For；　over　all　these　trades；　over　all　these　thousands　of　men；　is　the

Labor　Council。　　When　it　speaks　its　voice　is　heard；　and　when　it

orders　it　is　obeyed。　　But　it；　in　turn；　is　dominated　by　the　National

Labor　Council；　with　which　it　is　constantly　in　touch。　　In　this　wholly

unimportant　little　local　strike　it　is　of　interest　to　note　the　stands

taken　by　the　different　sides。　　The　legal　representative　and　official

mouthpiece　of　the　Employers'　Association　said：　　〃This　organization

is　formed　for　defensive　purposes；　and　it　may　be　driven　to　take

offensive　steps；　and　if　so；　will　be　strong　enough　to　follow　them　up。

Labor　cannot　be　allowed　to　dictate　to　capital　and　say　how　business

shall　be　conducted。　　There　is　no　objection　to　the　formation　of

unions　and　trades　councils；　but　membership　must　not　be　compulsory。

It　is　repugnant　to　the　American　idea　of　liberty　and　cannot　be

tolerated。〃



On　the　other　hand；　the　president　of　the　Team　Drivers'　Union　said：

〃The　employers　of　labor　in　this　city　are　generally　against　the

trade…union　movement　and　there　seems　to　be　a　concerted　effort　on

their　part　to　check　the　progress　of　organized　labor。　　Such　action　as

has　been　taken　by　them　in　sympathy　with　the　present　labor　troubles

may；　if　continued；　lead　to　a　serious　conflict；　the　outcome　of　which

might　be　most　calamitous　for　the　business　and　industrial　interests

of　San　Francisco。〃



And　the　secretary　of　the　United　Brewery　Workmen：　　〃I　regard　a

sympathetic　strike　as　the　last　weapon　which　organized　labor　should

use　in　its　defence。　　When；　however；　associations　of　employers　band

together　to　defeat　organized　labor；　or　one　of　its　branches；　then　we

should　not　and　will　not　hesitate　ourselves　to　employ　the　same

instrument　in　retaliation。〃



Thus；　in　a　little　corner　of　the　world；　is　exemplified　the　growing

solidarity　of　labor。　　The　organization　of　labor　has　not　only　kept

pace　with　the　organization　of　industry；　but　it　has　gained　upon　it。

In　one　winter；　in　the　anthracite　coal　region；　160；000；000　in　mines

and　600；000；000　in　transportation　and　distribution　consolidated　its

ownership　and　control。　　And　at　once；　arrayed　as　solidly　on　the　other

side；　were　the　150；000　anthracite　miners。　　The　bituminous　mines；

however；　were　not　consolidated；　yet　the　250；000　men　employed　therein

were　already　combined。　　And　not　only　that；　but　they　were　also

combined　with　the　anthracite　miners；　these　400；000　men　being　under

the　control　and　direction　of　one　supreme　labor　council。　　And　in　this

and　the　other　great　councils　are　to　be　found　captains　of　labor　of

splendid　abilities；　who；　in　understanding　of　economic　and　industrial

conditions；　are　undeniably　the　equals　of　their　opponents；　the

captains　of　industry。



The　United　States　is　honeycombed　with　labor　organizations。　　And　the

big　federations　which　these　go　to　compose　aggregate　millions　of

members；　and　in　their　various　branches　handle　millions　of　dollars

yearly。　　And　not　only　this；　for　the　international　brotherhoods　and

unions　are　forming；　and　moneys　for　the　aid　of　strikers　pass　back　and

forth　across　the　seas。　　The　Machinists；　in　their　demand　for　a　nine…

hour　day；　affected　500；000　men　in　the　United　States；　Mexico；　and

Canada。　　In　England　the　membership　of　working…class　organizations　is

approximated　by　Keir　Hardie　at　2；500；000；　with　reserve　funds　of

18；000；000。　　There　the　cooperative　movement　has　a　membership　of

1；500；000；　and　every　year　turns　over　in　distribution　more　than

100；000；000。　　In　France；　one…eighth　of　the　whole　working　class　is

unionized。　　In　Belgium　the　unions　are　very　rich　and　powerful；　and　so

able　to　defy　the　masters　that　many　of　the　smaller　manufacturers；

unable　to　resist；　〃are　removing　their　works　to　other　countries　where

the　workmen's　organizations　are　not　so　potential。〃　　And　in　all　other

countries；　according　to　the　stage　of　their　economic　and　political

development；　like　figures　obtain。　　And　Europe；　today；　confesses　that

her　greatest　social　problem　is　the　labor　problem；　and　that　it　is　the

one　most　closely　engrossing　the　attention　of　her　statesmen。



The　organization　of　labor　is　one　of　the　chief　acknowledged　factors

in　the　retrogression　of　British　trade。　　The　workers　have　become

class　conscious　as　never　before。　　The　wrong　of　one　is　the　wrong　of

all。　　They　have　come　to　realize；　in　a　short…sighted　way；　that　their

masters'　interests　are　not　their　interests。　　The　harder　they　work；

they　believe；　the　more　wealth　they　create　for　their　masters。

Further；　the　more　work　they　do　in　one　day；　the　fewer　men　will　be

needed