le loss to every one concerned; that when
successful, the rise of wages might probably have been gradually
obtained without a strike; that the loss by strikes is not restricted to
the simple loss of wages, but that there is also injury to the
employers' business and capital, which is sure to injure the men also in
the end; it is impossible to doubt that the nett result of strikes is a
dead loss. The conclusion to which I come is that, #as a general rule,
to strike is an act of folly#.

#52. Intimidation in Strikes.# Those who strike work have no right to
prevent other workmen from coming and taking their places. If there are
unemployed people, able and willing to work at the lower wages, it is
for the benefit of everybody, excepting the strikers, that they should
be employed. It is a question of supply and demand. The employer,
generally speaking, is right in getting work done at the lowest possible
cost; and, if there is a supply of labour forthcoming at lower rates of
wages, it would not be wise of him to pay higher rates.

But it is unfortunately common for those who strike to endeavour to
persuade or even frighten workmen from coming to take their places. This
is as much as to claim a right to the trade of a particular place, which
no law and no principle gives to them. A strike is only proper and legal
as long as it is entirely voluntary on the part of all concerned in
refusing to work. When a striker begins to threaten or in any way
prevent other people from working as they like, he commits a crime, by
interfering with their proper liberty, and at the same time injuring the
public. Men are free to refuse to labour, but it is absolutely necessary
to maintain at the same time the freedom of other men to labour if they
like. The same considerations, of course, apply to lockouts; no employer
who locks out his workmen has any right to intimidate, or in any way to
oblige other employers to do the same. No doubt voluntary agreements are
made between employers, and lockouts are jointly arranged, just as
extensive strikes are arranged beforehand. If any employers were to go
beyond this and threaten to injure other employers if they did not join
in the lockout, they should be severely punished. But such a case seldom
or never occurs. Thus, strikes and lockouts are proper only as mere
trials, to ascertain whether labour will be forthcoming at a certain
rate of wages, or under certain conditions.

If the workmen in a trade