war of the classes-第8章

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woman　on　the　street。　　They　might　have　been　mates；　but　society　has

decreed　otherwise。



And；　while　it　is　not　nice　that　these　men　should　die；　it　is　ordained

that　they　must　die；　and　we　should　not　quarrel　with　them　if　they

cumber　our　highways　and　kitchen　stoops　with　their　perambulating

carcasses。　　This　is　a　form　of　elimination　we　not　only　countenance

but　compel。　　Therefore　let　us　be　cheerful　and　honest　about　it。　　Let

us　be　as　stringent　as　we　please　with　our　police　regulations；　but　for

goodness'　sake　let　us　refrain　from　telling　the　tramp　to　go　to　work。

Not　only　is　it　unkind；　but　it　is　untrue　and　hypocritical。　　We　know

there　is　no　work　for　him。　　As　the　scapegoat　to　our　economic　and

industrial　sinning；　or　to　the　plan　of　things；　if　you　will；　we　should

give　him　credit。　　Let　us　be　just。　　He　is　so　made。　　Society　made　him。

He　did　not　make　himself。







THE　SCAB







In　a　competitive　society；　where　men　struggle　with　one　another　for

food　and　shelter；　what　is　more　natural　than　that　generosity；　when　it

diminishes　the　food　and　shelter　of　men　other　than　he　who　is

generous；　should　be　held　an　accursed　thing？　　Wise　old　saws　to　the

contrary；　he　who　takes　from　a　man's　purse　takes　from　his　existence。

To　strike　at　a　man's　food　and　shelter　is　to　strike　at　his　life；　and

in　a　society　organized　on　a　tooth…and…nail　basis；　such　an　act；

performed　though　it　may　be　under　the　guise　of　generosity；　is　none

the　less　menacing　and　terrible。



It　is　for　this　reason　that　a　laborer　is　so　fiercely　hostile　to

another　laborer　who　offers　to　work　for　less　pay　or　longer　hours。　　To

hold　his　place；　（which　is　to　live）；　he　must　offset　this　offer　by

another　equally　liberal；　which　is　equivalent　to　giving　away　somewhat

from　the　food　and　shelter　he　enjoys。　　To　sell　his　day's　work　for　2；

instead　of　2。50；　means　that　he；　his　wife；　and　his　children　will　not

have　so　good　a　roof　over　their　heads；　so　warm　clothes　on　their

backs；　so　substantial　food　in　their　stomachs。　　Meat　will　be　bought

less　frequently　and　it　will　be　tougher　and　less　nutritious；　stout

new　shoes　will　go　less　often　on　the　children's　feet；　and　disease　and

death　will　be　more　imminent　in　a　cheaper　house　and　neighborhood。



Thus　the　generous　laborer；　giving　more　of　a　day's　work　for　less

return；　（measured　in　terms　of　food　and　shelter）；　threatens　the　life

of　his　less　generous　brother　laborer；　and　at　the　best；　if　he　does

not　destroy　that　life；　he　diminishes　it。　　Whereupon　the　less

generous　laborer　looks　upon　him　as　an　enemy；　and；　as　men　are

inclined　to　do　in　a　tooth…and…nail　society；　he　tries　to　kill　the　man

who　is　trying　to　kill　him。



When　a　striker　kills　with　a　brick　the　man　who　has　taken　his　place；

he　has　no　sense　of　wrong…doing。　　In　the　deepest　holds　of　his　being；

though　he　does　not　reason　the　impulse；　he　has　an　ethical　sanction。

He　feels　dimly　that　he　has　justification；　just　as　the　home…defending

Boer　felt；　though　more　sharply；　with　each　bullet　he　fired　at　the

invading　English。　　Behind　every　brick　thrown　by　a　striker　is　the

selfish　will　〃to　live〃　of　himself；　and　the　slightly　altruistic　will

〃to　live〃　of　his　family。　　The　family　group　came　into　the　world

before　the　State　group；　and　society；　being　still　on　the　primitive

basis　of　tooth　and　nail；　the　will　〃to　live〃　of　the　State　is　not　so

compelling　to　the　striker　as　is　the　will　〃to　live〃　of　his　family　and

himself。



In　addition　to　the　use　of　bricks；　clubs；　and　bullets；　the　selfish

laborer　finds　it　necessary　to　express　his　feelings　in　speech。　　Just

as　the　peaceful　country…dweller　calls　the　sea…rover　a　〃pirate；〃　and

the　stout　burgher　calls　the　man　who　breaks　into　his　strong…box　a

〃robber；〃　so　the　selfish　laborer　applies　the　opprobrious　epithet　a

〃scab〃　to　the　laborer　who　takes　from　him　food　and　shelter　by　being

more　generous　in　the　disposal　of　his　labor　power。　　The　sentimental

connotation　of　〃scab〃　is　as　terrific　as　that　of　〃traitor〃　or

〃Judas；〃　and　a　sentimental　definition　would　be　as　deep　and　varied　as

the　human　heart。　　It　is　far　easier　to　arrive　at　what　may　be　called　a

technical　definition；　worded　in　commercial　terms；　as；　for　instance；

that　A　SCAB　IS　ONE　WHO　GIVES　MORE　VALUE　FOR　THE　SAME　PRICE　THAN

ANOTHER。



The　laborer　who　gives　more　time　or　strength　or　skill　for　the　same

wage　than　another；　or　equal　time　or　strength　or　skill　for　a　less

wage；　is　a　scab。　　This　generousness　on　his　part　is　hurtful　to　his

fellow…laborers；　for　it　compels　them　to　an　equal　generousness　which

is　not　to　their　liking；　and　which　gives　them　less　of　food　and

shelter。　　But　a　word　may　be　said　for　the　scab。　　Just　as　his　act

makes　his　rivals　compulsorily　generous；　so　do　they；　by　fortune　of

birth　and　training；　make　compulsory　his　act　of　generousness。　　He

does　not　scab　because　he　wants　to　scab。　　No　whim　of　the　spirit；　no

burgeoning　of　the　heart；　leads　him　to　give　more　of　his　labor　power

than　they　for　a　certain　sum。



It　is　because　he　cannot　get　work　on　the　same　terms　as　they　that　he

is　a　scab。　　There　is　less　work　than　there　are　men　to　do　work。　　This

is　patent；　else　the　scab　would　not　loom　so　large　on　the　labor…market

horizon。　　Because　they　are　stronger　than　he；　or　more　skilled；　or

more　energetic；　it　is　impossible　for　him　to　take　their　places　at　the

same　wage。　　To　take　their　places　he　must　give　more　value；　must　work

longer　hours　or　receive　a　smaller　wage。　　He　does　so；　and　he　cannot

help　it；　for　his　will　〃to　live〃　is　driving　him　on　as　well　as　they

are　being　driven　on　by　their　will　〃to　live〃；　and　to　live　he　must　win

food　and　shelter；　which　he　can　do　only　by　receiving　permission　to

work　from　some　man　who　owns　a　bit　of　land　or　a　piece　of　machinery。

And　to　receive　permission　from　this　man；　he　must　make　the

transaction　profitable　for　him。



Viewed　in　this　light；　the　scab；　who　gives　more　labor　power　for　a

certain　price　than　his　fellows；　is　not　so　generous　after　all。　　He　is

no　more　generous　with　his　energy　than　the　chattel　slave　and　the

convict　laborer；　who；　by　the　way；　are　the　almost　perfect　scabs。

They　give　their　labor　power　for　about　the　minimum　possible　price。

But；　within　limits；　they　may　loaf　and　malinger；　and；　as　scabs；　are

exceeded　by　the　machine；　which　never　loafs　and　malingers　and　which

is　the　ideally　perfect　scab。



It　is　not　nice　to　be　a　scab。　　Not　only　is　it　not　in　good　social

taste　and　comradeship；　but；　from　the　standpoint　of　food　and　shelter；

it　is　bad　business　policy。　　Nobody　desires　to　scab；　to　give　most　for

least。　　The　ambition　of　every　individual　is　quite　the　opposite；　to

give　least　for　most；　and；　as　a　result；　living　in　a　tooth…and…nail

society；　battle　royal　is　waged　by　the　ambitious　individuals。　　But　in

its　most　salient　aspect；　that　of　the　struggle　over　the　division　of

the　joint　product；　it　is　no　longer　a　battle　between　individuals；　but

between　groups　of　individuals。　　Capital　and　labor　apply　themselves

to　raw　material；　make　something　useful　out　of　it；　add　to　its　value；

and　then　proceed　to　quarrel　over　the　division　of　the　added　value。

Neither　cares　to　give　most　for　least。　　Each　is　intent　on　giving　less

than　the　other　and　on　receiving　more。



Labor　combines　into　its　unions；　capital　into　partnerships；

associations；　corporations；　and　trusts。　　A　group…struggle　is　the

result；　in　which　the　individuals；　as　individuals；　play　no　part。　　The

Brotherhood　of　Carpenters　and　Joiners；　for　instance；　serves　notice

on　the　Master　Builders'　Association　that　it　demands　an　increase　of

the　wage　of　its　members　from　3。50　a　day　to　4；　and　a　Saturday　half…

holiday　without　pay。　　This　means　that　the　carpenters　are　trying　to

give　less　for　more。　　Where　they　received　21　for　six　full　days；　they

are　endeavoring　to　get　22　for　five　days　and　a　half；that　is；　they

will　work　half　a　day　less　each　week　and　receive　a　dollar　more。



Also；　they　expect　the　Saturday　half…holiday　to　give　work　to　one

additional　man　for　each　eleven　previously　employed。　　This　last

affords　a　splendid　example　of　the　development　of　the　group　idea。　　In

this　particular　struggle　the　individual　has　no　chance　at　all　for

life。　　The　individual　carpenter　would　be　crushed　like　a　mote　by　the

Master　Builders'　Association；　and　like　a　mote　the　individual　master

builder　would　be　crushed　by　the　Brotherhood　of　Carpenters　and

Joiners。



In　the　group…struggle　over　the　division　of　the　joint　product；　labor

utilizes　the　union　with　its　two　great　weapons；　the　strike　and　the

boycott；　while　capital　utilizes　the　trust　and　the　association；　the

weapons　of　which　are　the　black…list；　the　lockout；　and　the　scab。　　The

scab　is　by　far　the　most　formidable　weapon　of　the　three。　　He　is　the

man　who　breaks　strikes　and　causes　all　the　trouble。　　Without　him

there　would　be　no　trouble；　for　the　strikers　are　willing　to　remain

out　peacefully　and　indefinitely　so　long　as　other　men　are　not　in

their　places；　and　so　long　as　the　particular　aggregation　of　capital

with　which　they　are　fighting　is　eating　its　head　off　in　enforced

idleness。



But　both　warring　groups　have　reserve　weapons。　　Were　it　not　for　the

scab；　these　weapons　would　not　be　brought　into　play。　　But　the　scab

takes　the　place　of　the　striker；　who　begins　at　once　to　wield　a　most

powerful　weapon；　terrorism。　　The　will　〃to　live〃　of　the　scab　recoils

from　the　menace　of　broken　bones　and　violent　death。　　With　all　due

respect　to　the　labor　leaders；　who　are　not　to　be　blamed　for　volubly

asseverating　otherwise；　terrorism　is　a　well…defined　and　eminently

successful　policy　of　the　labor　unions。　　It　has　probably　won　them

more　strikes　than　all　the　rest　of　the　weapons　in　their　arsenal。

This　terrorism；　however；　must　be　clearly　understood。　　It　is　directed

solely　against　the　scab；　placing　him　in　such　fear　for　life　and　limb

as　to　drive　him　out　of　the　contest。　　But　when　terrorism　gets　out　of

hand　and　inoffensive　non…combatants　are　injured；　law　and　order

threatened；　and　property　destroyed；　it　becomes　an　edged　tool　that

cuts　both　ways。　　This　sort　of　terrorism　is　sincerely　deplored　by　the

labor　leaders；　for　it　has　probably　lost　them　as　many　strikes　as　have

been　lost　by　any　other　single　cause。



The　scab　is　powerless　under　terrorism。　　As　a　rule；　he　is　not　so　good

nor　gritty　a　man　as　the　men　he　is　displacing；　and　he　lacks　their

fighting　organization。　　He　stands　in　dire　need　of　stiffening　and

backing。　　His　employers；　the　capitalists；　draw　their　two　remaining

weapons；　the　ownership　of　which　is　debatable；　but　which　they　for　the

time　being　happen　to　control。　　These　two　weapons　may　be　called　the

political　and　judicial　machinery　of　society。　　When　the　scab　crumples

up　and　is　ready　to　go　down　before　the　fists；　bricks；　and　bullets　of

the　labor　group；　the　capitalist　group　puts　the　police　and　soldiers

into　the　field；　and　begins　a　general　bombardment　of　injunctions。

Victory　usually　follows；　for　the　labor　group　cannot　withstand　the

combined　assault　of　gatling　guns　and　injunctions。



But　it　has　been　noted　that　the　ownership　of　the　political　and

judicial　machinery　of　society　is　debatable