The Right to Strike

1916

Railroads are from their very nature public institutions. They have their being in law, and are governed throughout by legislative enactments. Their rates are limited, and within certain broad lines their duties are prescribed. The advocates of government ownership merely would extend the power of government that now lie latent. Private business may and should control its own affairs; but public business must be subject to such supervision and control as is necessary to protect the rights of the public. This raises the question of the responsibility of labor on railroads or in gas and electric light plants the same as that in a store or factory? A strike in a factory makes little difference to the public at large; and such inconvenience as does follow may better be borne than to interfere with individual initiative. But the strike that ties up a railroad or a gas plant immediately and directly affects the whole public. Clearly the cases are different, and call for different treatment. — The Public.