Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/794

 764 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

any of its minor operations have been in the hands of sub- contractors who are connected with the employers' association the Fuller Company has been seriously crippled. In fact, later events would indicate that this establishment was one of the chief sufferers. A large part of its force was laid off last fall, important contracts in prospect were relinquished to other bid- ders, and the Fuller Company itself has actually become a member of the association of employers it was supposed to be ruining. There were rumors, for a time, that the United States Realty Corporation, of which the Fuller Company is the con- struction department, might abandon that branch of its opera- tions entirely. This action appears not to be probable, but, in view of the developments, the elaborate and somewhat sensa- tional efforts to find the starting-point of the whole embroglio in the machinations of this particular establishment appear largely fanciful, even frivolous. This much may be said in the interest of accuracy down to date, and with no intent of pleading a special defense of interests which may have much else to answer for, whatever their part in the present trouble. Circumstances may yet arise tending to confirm some or all of the charges that have been made ; but if a mutual interest indeed existed between Parks and his union, and this company, it would seem quite as possible that the condition was one into which matters drifted through natural causes as that it was the result of corrupt design. The wide range of operations carried on, the smaller relative amount of complication with sub-contractors, and the habitually liberal policy toward labor, all would tend to give any establish- ment a favorable position in its relations with labor, regardless of secret manipulations. Not even this combination of advan- tages, however, appears to have secured immunity in the present instance.

There can be no question, nevertheless, that the temptation to corrupt the walking delegate as the easiest way of getting rid of him, to buy immunity from labor demands, and even to "play off" labor leaders in various ways against rival employers, has come to be a real factor in our industrial life, increasing with the tightening stress of competition. Just who yields to this tempta-