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Show THE CITIZEN 5 When men forsake the ballot for such weapons as intimidation they made it possible to bring1 the members of Congress together and duress they are seeking to enforce a right by a wrong. To quickly to render a decision in any crisis. Being a pacifist, Mr. Bryan goes on the theory, no doubt, that if threaten the government is to deny the right of the government to the question of war or peace were referred to the people the United exercise its due authority, and yet those who threaten the very in war less frequently. We are justified in foundation of civil government are most eager to avail themselves of Spates would Soubting his conclusion. If our country were ruled by a despot, who every protection government can give them. This does not touch the question as to whether there is a right could plunge the nation into war at any moment, Mr. Bryans theory inviolate to strike. It simply points out the illogicality of appealing would.be sound. It is not a question of restraining an absolute ruler by popular to and upholding orderly government when orderly government re-- : vote, but of letting the people, instead of their elected representatives, dounds to our benefit and threatening to destroy orderly government declare for war or peace. Again reverting to the example of the: last when it fails to meet our demands. As to the inviolate right war, we shall see that the people, if they had been permitted to decide of striking, we have contended, now and then, that the right of each by referendums, would have passed through the same stages of doubt individual to quit work may cease to be a right when it becomes a conand hesitation to decision that marked the deliberations of Congress. spiracy to strike. But we do not care to press the argument at this The only difference would have been that the referendums would not time. The attitude of the powerful railway brotherhoods and of the have dealt as promptly with each crisis as did Congress. miners in their recent strike suggests some curious historic considerbe-involve- d so-call- ed . : WORKMANS NEW YEAR of others workman can learn by the experience IFhethewillAmerican begin the new year with a wisdom sure to beget happiness. The workman in. the Moscow Railway Shops learned by his own experience that whereas his. wages increased to three times the scale paid in 1916, it was worth in purchasing power only one. twenty-sixt- h of what it had been in that year . The figures demonstrating this result are furnished by the Chicago Tribune: For example, in 1916 it took the labor of 0.44 man to produce each railway car of the total annual output. In 1918 each railway car required the labor of 41.5 men . In other words, whereas 1,192 men produced 2,709 cars in. 1916, in 1918 it took 1,772 men to produce 43 cars. Each man in 1916 had his share in the value of more than two cars; each man in 1918 had a share in the value of about of a car. While his wage was nominally three times what it had been,' it was actually worth in purchasing power, only its former value. The printing presses of Moscow can turn out roubles by the billion. Any wage can be paid that the workers demand. But the output of the printing presses will be nothing but waste paper unless labor is producing the commodities to balance it. It will have value only as there is the actual wealth created by toil to give it value. Every workman can figure the problem to its final result. To double production is better than to double wages. Of what avail will doubled wages be if production is reduced oh anything approaching the Russian scale of decrease? It is not difficult to double wages if prices are doubled, but the result to the workman is zero. Only by hard work can production be doubled, but when that is accomplished the workmans wages will be vastly increased in value even though, in the meantime, not a dollar has been added to his pay. The best resolution for the new year is to work hard and proone-fortie- , one-twenty-si- th xth duce more. If the toiler works hard to increase his pay he will find that As wages increase he will pay he is running a race in a tread-mil- l. more for everything he buys. If, on the other hand, he works hard to increase his output prices will fall to a reasonable basis and he will be the gainer. Nor need he fear overproduction. The time is far distant when the wants of the world will be fully met by the producers. . AN HISTORIC PARALLEL VxtHAT the President calls the right inviolate to strike is put V forward by the railway machinists as an excuse for their action feature in voting to quit work should Congress adopt the anti-stri' of the Cummins railway bill. Once again direct action is invoked in place of the ballot to influence government. If therei' a right inviolate to strike it should be preserved, as are all our other civil and political rights, by the orderly processes of government. ke ations. Our forefathers were so afraid of militarism, having before them the example of the Roman empire, that they sought by every means in their power to prevent the. military arm of the government from imperiling the republic. Their knowledge of history led them to believe that the army might be a constant menace and they took pains, therefore, to hedge the army about with restrictions that would keep it aloof from civil and political affairs and interests.. It did not occur to them that the labor organizations might one day employ intimidation and coercion to dominate the government. It is true that they often voiced their fear of the rule of factions, and, in that sense, they somewhat glimpsed the future, but the exact nature of the factional peril they did not foresee. The most striking historic parallel is that of the Praetorian guard which made and unmade the emperors of Rome and, on one occasion, sold the throne to the highest bidder. Augustus, the first imperator, believed in the maxim that the ruler who retains the support of the army need not fear, the favor or disfavor of the populace. He established the Praetorian guard to protect his person, his family and his throne. During his reign and that of several successors, the guards never numbered more than 15,000 and at no time were all of them assembled at Rome. It remained for the Emperor Septimus Severus to increase their number, to 50,000 and establish them in a permanent armed camp on one of the hills just outside the city. He made the further mistake of increasing their pay and their privileges. It is not surprising that they came to be aware of their power and that each time their pay was raised, their privileges amplified, and their pleasures increased, they grew more insolent and brutal. The time came when they no longer awaited the natural death of a ruler to vest the imperial power in a successor. They themselves provided the occasion and the weapons of death. Although, in theory, the senate possessed the right to name the emperor it could do no more than confirm the acts of the guards. Thoughtful men avoided the dangerous power offered them and only ambition or folly accepted the purple at the hands of the military mob. Those who attempted gradually or otherwise, to restore discipline in the guard, were met with menaces. Many timidly returned to the policy of pampering the Praetorians ; others, who persisted in the work of reform, were murdered in cold blood. This parallel is presented rather as a matter of curious interest than as a warning. Because history seldom repeats itself we cannot predicate the future of labor unions on the example of the Roman soldiery, but it will not have escaped attention that the laboring classes, in their assertion of power, seem to be following the course of the Praetorian guards. First there came the realization of power, then the use of it to control the action of government. Let us hope that the parallel will go no farther, and we shall found our hope on the cool, common sense and the training. and enlightenment of Americans of all classes. They still retain, deep in their hearts, a love for the republic and its institutions. Nevertheless, we cannot lose sight of the fact that if our public survives and attains permanency it will be the first republic in all history to. achieve that |