Among the troubles which constantly bother the reactionaries of our time, the endeavors for union among the workers hold a prominent place. According to their keen understanding of the movements of our time, those endeavors are evil through and through, and a remarkable capacity for invention is being displayed in the attempt to place the blame for the conflicts which may arise upon the workers and their organizations. If greater efforts were made to discover the real cause of the conflicts which so often disrupt co-operation between employers and employes, it would be found that in most cases neither one nor the other is directly to blame, but circumstances which human power is unable to control. Such being the case, the fight ought not 2become personal, but as far as possible be limited to the factors concerned.

This limitation of the fight to the factors involved is made difficult by the prevailing class consciousness. Not long ago, the attitude was quite universal that the employer could not under any circumstances negotiate with his employes. Although this attitude was adhered to with a nearly unbelievable stubbornness, it has slowly given way. On the one hand, the laboring class has achieved greater cohesion, and thereby greater strength; on the other, there is a tendency on the part of the employers to bow to the humanitarian demand for justice. To attain to such a state of submission to justice, a development in self control, and in sense of justice was required, and a development of this kind may be easily traced, both as regards employers and employes. And in consequence of this, fruitful work has steadily become more in evidence, where no conflicts arise, and where one does not encounter those cases of violence which, in times past, characterized the relationship between employers and workers.

In view of these facts, it seems strange that the movement, which is the expression of the workers' inmost desire to solve such disputes, as might arise, in a peaceful manner; namely the movement to organize labor into unions, has been looked upon with suspicion in many places, even where the complicated character of labor conflicts is scarcely understood at all. Without a doubt in our days it marks a forward step when the workers are becoming more and more inclined toward the humanitarian ideal. There is a decrease in the blockade type of strikes and the employment of brutal force, and the workers are more and more beginning to rely upon the force of the united group. We do not question the possibility that the power of the workers, when united, may be misused, nor the fact that such misuse of power has taken place. But the power of union among workers has so far been rarely misused.

Those who try to stem the forces, aim to solve by peaceful negotiation between the present economical and social difficulties, or those which may arise.

Their perverted view of the matter is largely based upon an obsolete view of the value of man. For this reason, many people object to entering into negotiations with men and women who but recently were their employes.

It is fortunate that there is a steady decrease in the number of people who cling to the old patriarchal contention that only one part, the employer, is to determine what is to be done for the people, and not through the people.