ried?--anything of
superior simplicity and easier application? I think so. Make a breach
of labor contract by either parly to it a criminal offense punishable by
imprisonment "Fine or imprisonment" will not do--the employee, unable to
pay the fine, would commonly go to jail, the employer seldom. That would
not be fair.

The purpose of such a law is apparent: Labor contracts would then be
drawn for a certain time, securing both employer and employee and
(which is more important) helpless persons in related and dependent
industries--the whole public, in fact--against sudden and disastrous
action by either "capital" or "labor" for accomplishment of a purely
selfish or frankly impudent end. A strike or lockout compelled to
announce itself thirty days in advance would be innocuous to the public,
whilst securing to the party of initiation all the advantages that
anybody professes to want--all but the advantage of ruining others and
of successfully defying the laws.

Under the present _regime_ labor contracts are useless; either party can
violate them with impunity. They offer redress only through a civil suit
for damages, and the employee commonly has nothing with which to
conduct an action or satisfy a judgment. The consequence is seen in
the incessant and increasing industrial disturbances, with their
ever-attendant crimes against property, life and liberty--disturbances
which by driving capital to investments in which it needs employ no
labor, do more than all the other causes so glibly enumerated by every
newspaper and politician, though by no two alike, to bring about the
"hard times"--which in their turn cause further and worse disturbances.

INDUSTRIAL DISCONTENT

I.

THE time seems to have come when the two antagonistic elements of
American society should, and could afford to, throw off their disguise
and frankly declare their principles and purposes. But what, it may be
asked, are the two antagonistic elements? Dividing lines parting the
population into two camps more or less hostile may be drawn variously;
for example, one may be run between the law-abiding and the criminal
class. But the elements to which reference is here made are those
immemorable and implacable foes which the slang of modern economics
roughly and loosely distinguishes as "Capital" and "Labor." A more
accurate classification--as accurate a one as it is possible to
make--would designate them as those who do muscular labor and tho