rs do advocate violence, and, in a few cases that instantly became
notorious, labor leaders have been found guilty of serious crimes. That
these instances are comparatively rare is explained, of course, by the
fact that violence is known invariably to injure the cause of the
worker. It would be strange, therefore, if the workers did
systematically plan outrages. On the other hand, it would be strange if
the employers did not at times rejoice that somebody--the workmen, the
detectives, or others--had committed some outrage and thus brought the
public sentiment and the State's power to the aid of the employers. One
cannot escape the thought that the employers would hardly finance so
readily these so-called detectives, and inquire so little into their
actual deeds, if they were not convinced that violence at the time of a
strike materially aids the employer. Yet, despite evidence to the
contrary, it may, I think, be said with truth that the lawlessness
attending strikes is not, as a rule, the result of deliberate planning
on the part of the men or of the masters.

There are, of course, numerous exceptions, and if we find the McNamaras
on the one side, we also find some unscrupulous employers on the other.
To the latter, violence becomes of the greatest service, in that it
enables them to say with apparent truth that they are not fighting
reasonable, law-abiding workmen, but assassins and incendiaries. No
course is easier for the employer who does not seek to deal honestly
with his men, and none more secure for that employer whose position is
wholly indefensible on the subject of hours and wages, than to sidetrack
all these issues by hypocritically declaring that he refuses to deal
with men who are led by criminals. And it is quite beyond question that
some such employers have deliberately urged their "detectives" to create
trouble. Positive evidence is at hand that a few such employers have
themselves directed the work of incendiaries, thugs, and rioters. With
such amazing evidence as we have recently had concerning the
systematically lawless work of the Manufacturers' Association, it is
impossible to free the employers of all personal responsibility for the
outrages committed by their criminal agents. There are many different
ways in which violence benefits the employer, and it may even be said
that in all cases it is only to the interest of the employer. As a
matter of fact, with the systems of insurance now existing, any