ernment has broken down at every point, and the two
irreconcilable elements whose suspensions of hostilities are mistaken for
peace are about to try their hands at each other's tempting display of
throats. There is no longer so much as a pretense of amity; apparently
there will not much longer be a pretense of regard for mercy and morals.
Already "industrial discontent" has attained to the magnitude of war.
It is important, then, that there be an understanding of principles and
purposes. As the combatants will not define their positions truthfully
by words, let us see if it can be inferred from the actions which
are said to speak more plainly. If one of the really able men who now
"direct the destinies" of the labor organizations in this country,
could be enticed into the Palace of Truth and "examined" by a skilful
catechist he would indubitably say something like this:

"Our ultimate purpose is abolition of the distinction between employer
and employee, which is but a modification of that between master and
slave.

"We propose that the laborer shall be chief owner of all the property
and profits of the enterprise in which he is engaged, and have through
his union a controlling voice in all its affairs.

"We propose to overthrow the system under which a man can grow richer by
working with his head than with his hands, and prevent the man who works
with neither from having anything at all.

"In the attainment of these ends any means is to be judged, as to its
fitness for our use, with sole regard to its efficacy. We shall punish
the innocent for the sins of the guilty. We shall destroy property and
life under such circumstances and to such an extent as may seem to us
expedient. Falsehood, treachery, arson, assassination, all these we look
upon as legitimate if effective.

"The rules of 'civilized warfare' we shall not observe, but shall put
prisoners to death or torture them, as we please.

"We do not recognize a non-union man's right to labor, nor to live. The
right to strike includes the right to strike _him_."

Doubtless all that (and "the half is not told") sounds to the
unobservant like a harsh exaggeration, an imaginative travesty of the
principles of labor organizations. It is not a travesty; it has no
element of exaggeration. Not in the last twenty-five years has a great
strike or lockout occurred in this country without supplying facts,
notorious and undisputed, upon which some of these confessions of fai