按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
This struggle not to be a scab； to avoid giving more for less and to
succeed in giving less for more； is more vital than it would appear
on the surface。 The capitalist and labor groups are locked together
in desperate battle； and neither side is swayed by moral
considerations more than skin…deep。 The labor group hires business
agents； lawyers； and organizers； and is beginning to intimidate
legislators by the strength of its solid vote； and more directly； in
the near future； it will attempt to control legislation by capturing
it bodily through the ballot…box。 On the other hand； the capitalist
group； numerically weaker； hires newspapers； universities； and
legislatures； and strives to bend to its need all the forces which
go to mould public opinion。
The only honest morality displayed by either side is white…hot
indignation at the iniquities of the other side。 The striking
teamster complacently takes a scab driver into an alley； and with an
iron bar breaks his arms； so that he can drive no more； but cries
out to high Heaven for justice when the capitalist breaks his skull
by means of a club in the hands of a policeman。 Nay； the members of
a union will declaim in impassioned rhetoric for the God…given right
of an eight…hour day； and at the time be working their own business
agent seventeen hours out of the twenty…four。
A capitalist such as Collis P。 Huntington； and his name is Legion；
after a long life spent in buying the aid of countless legislatures；
will wax virtuously wrathful； and condemn in unmeasured terms 〃the
dangerous tendency of crying out to the Government for aid〃 in the
way of labor legislation。 Without a quiver； a member of the
capitalist group will run tens of thousands of pitiful child…
laborers through his life…destroying cotton factories； and weep
maudlin and constitutional tears over one scab hit in the back with
a brick。 He will drive a 〃compulsory〃 free contract with an
unorganized laborer on the basis of a starvation wage； saying； 〃Take
it or leave it；〃 knowing that to leave it means to die of hunger；
and in the next breath； when the organizer entices that laborer into
a union； will storm patriotically about the inalienable right of all
men to work。 In short； the chief moral concern of either side is
with the morals of the other side。 They are not in the business for
their moral welfare； but to achieve the enviable position of the
non…scab who gets more than he gives。
But there is more to the question than has yet been discussed。 The
labor scab is no more detestable to his brother laborers than is the
capitalist scab to his brother capitalists。 A capitalist may get
most for least in dealing with his laborers； and in so far be a non…
scab； but at the same time； in his dealings with his fellow…
capitalists； he may give most for least and be the very worst kind
of scab。 The most heinous crime an employer of labor can commit is
to scab on his fellow…employers of labor。 Just as the individual
laborers have organized into groups to protect themselves from the
peril of the scab laborer； so have the employers organized into
groups to protect themselves from the peril of the scab employer。
The employers' federations； associations； and trusts are nothing
more nor less than unions。 They are organized to destroy scabbing
amongst themselves and to encourage scabbing amongst others。 For
this reason they pool interests； determine prices； and present an
unbroken and aggressive front to the labor group。
As has been said before； nobody likes to play the compulsorily
generous role of scab。 It is a bad business proposition on the face
of it。 And it is patent that there would be no capitalist scabs if
there were not more capital than there is work for capital to do。
When there are enough factories in existence to supply； with
occasional stoppages； a certain commodity； the building of new
factories by a rival concern； for the production of that commodity；
is plain advertisement that that capital is out of a job。 The first
act of this new aggregation of capital will be to cut prices； to
give more for less；in short to scab； to strike at the very
existence of the less generous aggregation of capital the work of
which it is trying to do。
No scab capitalist strives to give more for less for any other
reason than that he hopes； by undercutting a competitor and driving
that competitor out of the market； to get that market and its
profits for himself。 His ambition is to achieve the day when he
shall stand alone in the field both as buyer and seller；when he
will be the royal non…scab； buying most for least； selling least for
most； and reducing all about him； the small buyers and sellers； （the
consumers and the laborers）； to a general condition of scabdom。
This； for example； has been the history of Mr。 Rockefeller and the
Standard Oil Company。 Through all the sordid villanies of scabdom
he has passed； until today he is a most regal non…scab。 However； to
continue in this enviable position； he must be prepared at a
moment's notice to go scabbing again。 And he is prepared。 Whenever
a competitor arises； Mr。 Rockefeller changes about from giving least
for most and gives most for least with such a vengeance as to drive
the competitor out of existence。
The banded capitalists discriminate against a scab capitalist by
refusing him trade advantages； and by combining against him in most
relentless fashion。 The banded laborers； discriminating against a
scab laborer in more primitive fashion； with a club； are no more
merciless than the banded capitalists。
Mr。 Casson tells of a New York capitalist who withdrew from the
Sugar Union several years ago and became a scab。 He was worth
something like twenty millions of dollars。 But the Sugar Union；
standing shoulder to shoulder with the Railroad Union and several
other unions； beat him to his knees till he cried； 〃Enough。〃 So
frightfully did they beat him that he was obliged to turn over to
his creditors his home； his chickens； and his gold watch。 In point
of fact； he was as thoroughly bludgeoned by the Federation of
Capitalist Unions as ever scab workman was bludgeoned by a labor
union。 The intent in either case is the same；to destroy the
scab's producing power。 The labor scab with concussion of the brain
is put out of business； and so is the capitalist scab who has lost
all his dollars down to his chickens and his watch。
But the role of scab passes beyond the individual。 Just as
individuals scab on other individuals； so do groups scab on other
groups。 And the principle involved is precisely the same as in the
case of the simple labor scab。 A group； in the nature of its
organization； is often compelled to give most for least； and； so
doing； to strike at the life of another group。 At the present
moment all Europe is appalled by that colossal scab； the United
States。 And Europe is clamorous with agitation for a Federation of
National Unions to protect her from the United States。 It may be
remarked； in passing； that in its prime essentials this agitation in
no wise differs from the trade…union agitation among workmen in any
industry。 The trouble is caused by the scab who is giving most for
least。 The result of the American scab's nefarious actions will be
to strike at the food and shelter of Europe。 The way for Europe to
protect herself is to quit bickering among her parts and to form a
union against the scab。 And if the union is formed； armies and
navies may be expected to be brought into play in fashion similar to
the bricks and clubs in ordinary labor struggles。
In this connection； and as one of many walking delegates for the
nations； M。 Leroy…Beaulieu； the noted French economist； may well be
quoted。 In a letter to the Vienna Tageblatt； he advocates an
economic alliance among the Continental nations for the purpose of
barring out American goods； an economic alliance； in his own
language； 〃WHICH MAY POSSIBLY AND DESIRABLY DEVELOP INTO A POLITICAL
ALLIANCE。〃
It will be noted； in the utterances of the Continental walking
delegates； that； one and all； they leave England out of the proposed
union。 And in England herself the feeling is growing that her days
are numbered if she cannot unite for offence and defence with the
great American scab。 As Andrew Carnegie said some time ago； 〃The
only course for Great Britain seems to be reunion with her
grandchild or sure decline to a secondary place； and then to
comparative insignificance in the future annals of the English…
speaking race。〃
Cecil Rhodes； speaking of what would have obtained but for the pig…
headedness of George III； and of what will obtain when England and
the United States are united； said； 〃NO CANNON WOULD。 。 。 BE FIRED
ON EITHER HEMISPHERE BUT BY PERMISSION OF THE ENGLISH RACE。〃 It
would seem that England； fronted by the hostile Continental Union
and flanked by the