第 12 节
作者:爱之冰点      更新:2021-02-19 17:04      字数:9318
  its value; and then proceed to quarrel over the division of the added value。
  Neither cares to give most for least。 Each is intent on giving less than the
  other and on receiving more。
  Labor combines into its unions; capital into partnerships; associations;
  corporations;       and   trusts。   A   group…struggle       is  the  result;   in  which     the
  individuals;   as   individuals;  play  no   part。 The   Brotherhood   of   Carpenters
  and Joiners; for instance; serves notice on the Master Builders' Association
  that it demands an increase of the wage of its members from 3。50 a day
  to   4;   and   a   Saturday   half…   holiday   without   pay。   This   means   that   the
  carpenters are trying to give less for more。 Where they received 21 for
  six full days; they are endeavoring to get 22 for five days and a half;that
  is; they will work half a day less each week and receive a dollar more。
  Also;     they   expect    the   Saturday     half…holiday      to  give   work     to  one
  additional   man   for   each   eleven   previously  employed。 This   last   affords   a
  splendid example of the development of the group idea。 In this particular
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  struggle      the  individual      has   no   chance     at  all  for   life。  The    individual
  carpenter       would     be    crushed     like   a   mote     by    the   Master     Builders'
  Association;       and   like   a  mote     the  individual     master     builder    would     be
  crushed by the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners。
  In   the   group…struggle   over       the   division    of   the  joint   product;    labor
  utilizes the union with its two great weapons; the strike and the boycott;
  while capital utilizes the trust and the association; the weapons of which
  are the black…list; the lockout; and the scab。 The scab is by far the most
  formidable   weapon   of   the   three。   He   is   the   man   who   breaks   strikes   and
  causes   all   the   trouble。   Without   him   there   would   be   no   trouble;   for   the
  strikers   are   willing   to   remain   out   peacefully   and   indefinitely   so   long   as
  other men are not in their places; and so long as the particular aggregation
  of capital with which they are fighting is eating its head off in enforced
  idleness。
  But   both   warring   groups   have   reserve   weapons。   Were   it   not   for   the
  scab; these weapons would not be brought into play。 But the scab takes the
  place of the striker; who begins at once to wield a most powerful weapon;
  terrorism。 The will 〃to live〃 of the scab recoils from the menace of broken
  bones and violent death。 With all due respect to the labor leaders; who are
  not to be blamed for volubly asseverating otherwise; terrorism is a well…
  defined      and   eminently      successful      policy    of   the  labor    unions。     It  has
  probably won them more strikes than all the rest of the weapons in their
  arsenal。 This terrorism; however; must be clearly understood。 It is directed
  solely  against   the   scab;   placing   him  in   such   fear   for   life   and   limb   as   to
  drive   him   out   of   the   contest。   But   when   terrorism   gets   out   of   hand   and
  inoffensive   non…combatants   are   injured;   law   and   order   threatened;   and
  property destroyed; it becomes an edged tool that cuts both ways。 This sort
  of terrorism is sincerely deplored by the labor leaders; for it has probably
  lost them as many strikes as have been lost by any other single cause。
  The scab is powerless under terrorism。 As a rule; he is not so good nor
  gritty   a   man    as   the   men   he   is   displacing;   and   he   lacks   their   fighting
  organization。       He    stands    in  dire   need     of  stiffening     and   backing。     His
  employers;        the   capitalists;    draw     their    two    remaining      weapons;       the
  ownership of which is debatable; but which they for the time being happen
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  War of the Classes
  to   control。   These   two   weapons   may   be   called   the   political   and   judicial
  machinery of society。 When the scab crumples up and is ready to go down
  before the fists; bricks; and bullets of the labor group; the capitalist group
  puts    the   police    and    soldiers    into   the   field;   and    begins    a   general
  bombardment of injunctions。 Victory usually follows; for the labor group
  cannot withstand the combined assault of gatling guns and injunctions。
  But it has been noted that the ownership of the political and judicial
  machinery of society is debatable。 In the Titanic struggle over the division
  of the joint product; each group reaches out for every available weapon。
  Nor are they blinded by the smoke of conflict。 They fight their battles as
  coolly and collectedly as ever battles were fought on paper。 The capitalist
  group has long since realized the immense importance of controlling the
  political and judicial machinery of society。
  Taught   by   gatlings   and   injunctions;   which   have   smashed          many   an
  otherwise successful strike; the labor group is beginning to realize that it
  all   depends   upon   who   is   behind   and   who   is   before   the   gatlings   and   the
  injunctions。 And he who knows the labor movement knows that there   is
  slowly growing up and being formulated a clear and definite policy for the
  capture of the political and judicial machinery。
  This    is  the   terrible  spectre    which    Mr。   John    Graham      Brooks     sees
  looming portentously over the twentieth century world。 No man may boast
  a   more    intimate    knowledge       of  the   labor   movement       than   he;   and   he
  reiterates   again   and   again   the   dangerous   likelihood   of   the   whole   labor
  group capturing the political machinery of society。 As he says in his recent
  book: {6} 〃It is not probable that employers can destroy unionism in the
  United States。 Adroit and desperate attempts will; however; be made; if we
  mean by unionism the undisciplined and aggressive fact of vigorous and
  determined       organizations。      If  capital   should    prove    too   strong    in  this
  struggle; the result is easy to predict。 The employers have only to convince
  organized labor that it cannot hold its own against the capitalist manager;
  and the whole energy that now goes to the union will turn to an aggressive
  political   socialism。   It   will   not   be   the   harmless   sympathy   with   increased
  city and state functions which trade unions already feel; it will become a
  turbulent political force bent upon using every weapon of taxation against
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  War of the Classes
  the rich。〃
  This   struggle   not   to   be   a   scab;   to   avoid   giving   more   for   less   and   to
  succeed in giving less for more; is more vital than it would appear on the
  surface。 The   capitalist   and   labor   groups are   locked together   in   desperate
  battle; and neither side is swayed by moral considerations more than skin…
  deep。 The labor group hires business agents; lawyers; and organizers; and
  is beginning to intimidate legislators by the strength of its solid vote; and
  more directly; in the   near future; it will   attempt to control legislation by
  capturing it bodily through the ballot…box。 On the other hand; the capitalist
  group; numerically weaker; hires newspapers; universities; and legislatures;
  and   strives   to   bend   to   its   need   all   the   forces   which   go   to   mould   public
  opinion。
  The      only   honest     morality     displayed      by   either    side   is   white…hot
  indignation       at  the   iniquities    of   the   other   side。   The    striking    teamster
  complacently takes a scab driver into an alley; and with an iron bar breaks
  his arms; so that he can drive no more; but cries out to high Heaven for
  justice when the capitalist breaks his skull by means of a club in the hands
  of a policeman。 Nay; the members of a union will declaim in impassioned
  rhetoric for the God…given right of an eight…hour day; and at the time be
  working their own business agent seventeen hours out of the twenty…four。
  A capitalist such as Collis P。 Huntington; and his name is Legion; after
  a   long   life   spent   in   buying   the   aid   of   countless   legislatures;   will   wax
  virtuously   wrathful;   and   condemn   in   unmeasured   terms   〃the   dangerous
  tendency   of   crying   out   to   the   Government   for   aid〃   in   the   way   of   labor
  legislation。   Wit