THE CONDUCT OF INDUSTRIES 325 



discussed. Regarding lawlessness, such as so extensively 

 characterized this great contest, it asserted that no industry 

 is more dependent, for its success, its safety and its non inter- 

 ruption, upon discipline than is the vocation of coal mining 

 It is a dangerous and a troublesome work at best and in the 

 most skillful hands and directed by the best of supervision. 

 None other is more dependent upon mutual understanding 

 and mutual support in the maintenance of discipline. "Dis- 

 crimination and interference weaken all discipline." The 

 most rigid and efficient discipline should be established and 

 maintained by the co-operation of both employer and em- 

 ployed. The calling out of the militia was a justifiable, a 

 reasonable, an entirely proper, and, in fact, a necessary, act. 

 "No peaceable and law abiding citizen has reason to fear or 

 to resent the presence of either," — guards or militia. Ab- 

 sence of protest and of active resistance on the part of law 

 abiding citizens is an encouragement to disorder. The law 

 can make no exceptions, and it must use every available power 

 to maintain itself and to preserve the peace. Peaceable strik- 

 ing is not contrary to law or to reason ; but a strike set on foot 

 with the purpose of forcibly compelling all opposition to cease 

 until it gains its object "violates the law from the beginning." 

 A large strike always tends to encourage lawlessness and to 

 engender crime. The organization bringing about such 

 strikes voluntarily accepts these risks and this responsibility, 

 and is bound, in law and in justice, to provide against and to 

 prevent such results. "Only so can they deserve and attain 

 the respect of good citizenship. A labor or other organization 

 whose purpose can be accomplished only by the violation of 

 the law and order of society has no right to exist." 



The right to work or to remain at work, to cease work 

 or to go to work under any conditions, themselves not in 

 conflict with law, cannot be rightfully or lawfully denied or 

 restricted, whatever the character or the opinions of the worker 

 or the would-be non-worker. In that matter every man is a 

 law unto himself, and has a right so to be, at all times and in 

 all places, in time of strikes or at any other time. Compul- 

 sions exerted to sustain or to destroy a strike are alike "im- 

 moral and anti-social." Concerted attempts to restrain the 



