Henry George on Strikes.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 2502, 6 September 1890, Page 2

Henry George on Strikes.

Henry George, in “ Progress and Poverty,” ntters a warning against strikes In a section of a chapter devoted to a consideration of the possibility of raising wages by combinations of workmen, he admits that wages in particular occupations can be advanced by combination of the workers, bat declares that the good that can be accomplished is limited, and can hardly be lasting. “The only’ way by which wages could be raised to any extent, and with any permanence, by this method (combination] would be by a general combination, such as was aimed at by the Internationals, which should include laborers of all kindr. But such a combination may be set down as practically impossible. . . .’> Mr George concludes bis remarks on this subject i?- WS -^ nr *. besideH the practical dimonlties in the plan of forcing by endurance an increase of wages, there are in each methods inherent disadvantages which working men should not blink. I speak without prejudice, for I am (till an honorary member of a union which, while working at my trade, I always loyally supported. But see—the methods by which a. trade union can alone act are necessarily destructive ; its organisation is necessarily tyrannioal. A strike, which is the only resource by which a trade union can enforce its demands, is a destructive contest—just such a contest a. th “ t to which an eccentric, d ied the 1 Money King ” onoe, in the ear.y days of

San Francisco, challenged a man who I taunted him with meanness, that ti should go down to the wharf and »lten tely toss twenty-dollar pieces into bay until one gave in. The struggle endurance involved iu a atrike ia, rsi! what it has often been compared i, » 'atu’ ® nd ’ war > lessens weij And the organisation for it most, like t!„ gameation for war, be tyrannical. As „ th« man who would fight for freedom tn, when he enters an army, give an personal freodom and become a msrs, of a great machine, so must it b. , workmen who organise for a st„ These combiuations are, there! necessarily destructive of the very th,! which workmen seek to gain tbre them—wealth and freedom. There I, ancient Hindoo mode of eompellinv payment of a just debt, traces of L thing akin to which Sir Henry Main, found m the laws of the Irish Breb, It is called “ sitting dharna "—the era* seeking enfoi cement of his debt bv.it. down at the door of the debtor , refosmg to eat or drink till he i. ’J Like this is the method of labor „ bmations. In their strike* grade J - Bit dharna.” But, unlike th. Hi» Io e b y aok T th.m” ‘ he °* ‘“P™"