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of tramps； （4） Very few tramps are willing to do honest work； （5）
Those tramps who are willing to do honest work have to hunt very
hard to find it； （6） The tramp is undesirable。
To this last let the contention be appended that the tramp is only
PERSONALLY undesirable； that he is NEGATIVELY desirable； that the
function he performs in society is a negative function； and that he
is the by…product of economic necessity。
It is very easy to demonstrate that there are more men than there is
work for men to do。 For instance； what would happen tomorrow if one
hundred thousand tramps should become suddenly inspired with an
overmastering desire for work？ It is a fair question。 〃Go to work〃
is preached to the tramp every day of his life。 The judge on the
bench； the pedestrian in the street； the housewife at the kitchen
door； all unite in advising him to go to work。 So what would happen
tomorrow if one hundred thousand tramps acted upon this advice and
strenuously and indomitably sought work？ Why； by the end of the
week one hundred thousand workers； their places taken by the tramps；
would receive their time and be 〃hitting the road〃 for a job。
Ella Wheeler Wilcox unwittingly and uncomfortably demonstrated the
disparity between men and work。 ｛1｝ She made a casual reference； in
a newspaper column she conducts； to the difficulty two business men
found in obtaining good employees。 The first morning mail brought
her seventy…five applications for the position； and at the end of
two weeks over two hundred people had applied。
Still more strikingly was the same proposition recently demonstrated
in San Francisco。 A sympathetic strike called out a whole
federation of trades' unions。 Thousands of men； in many branches of
trade； quit work；draymen； sand teamsters； porters and packers；
longshoremen； stevedores； warehousemen； stationary engineers；
sailors； marine firemen； stewards； sea…cooks； and so forth；an
interminable list。 It was a strike of large proportions。 Every
Pacific coast shipping city was involved； and the entire coasting
service； from San Diego to Puget Sound； was virtually tied up。 The
time was considered auspicious。 The Philippines and Alaska had
drained the Pacific coast of surplus labor。 It was summer…time；
when the agricultural demand for laborers was at its height； and
when the cities were bare of their floating populations。 And yet
there remained a body of surplus labor sufficient to take the places
of the strikers。 No matter what occupation； sea…cook or stationary
engineer； sand teamster or warehouseman； in every case there was an
idle worker ready to do the work。 And not only ready but anxious。
They fought for a chance to work。 Men were killed； hundreds of
heads were broken； the hospitals were filled with injured men； and
thousands of assaults were committed。 And still surplus laborers；
〃scabs；〃 came forward to replace the strikers。
The question arises： WHENCE CAME THIS SECOND ARMY OF WORKERS TO
REPLACE THE FIRST ARMY？ One thing is certain： the trades' unions
did not scab on one another。 Another thing is certain： no industry
on the Pacific slope was crippled in the slightest degree by its
workers being drawn away to fill the places of the strikers。 A
third thing is certain： the agricultural workers did not flock to
the cities to replace the strikers。 In this last instance it is
worth while to note that the agricultural laborers wailed to High
Heaven when a few of the strikers went into the country to compete
with them in unskilled employments。 So there is no accounting for
this second army of workers。 It simply was。 It was there all this
time； a surplus labor army in the year of our Lord 1901； a year
adjudged most prosperous in the annals of the United States。 ｛2｝
The existence of the surplus labor army being established； there
remains to be established the economic necessity for the surplus
labor army。 The simplest and most obvious need is that brought
about by the fluctuation of production。 If； when production is at
low ebb； all men are at work； it necessarily follows that when
production increases there will be no men to do the increased work。
This may seem almost childish； and； if not childish； at least easily
remedied。 At low ebb let the men work shorter time； at high flood
let them work overtime。 The main objection to this is； that it is
not done； and that we are considering what is； not what might be or
should be。
Then there are great irregular and periodical demands for labor
which must be met。 Under the first head come all the big building
and engineering enterprises。 When a canal is to be dug or a
railroad put through； requiring thousands of laborers； it would be
hurtful to withdraw these laborers from the constant industries。
And whether it is a canal to be dug or a cellar； whether five
thousand men are required or five； it is well； in society as at
present organized； that they be taken from the surplus labor army。
The surplus labor army is the reserve fund of social energy； and
this is one of the reasons for its existence。
Under the second head； periodical demands； come the harvests。
Throughout the year； huge labor tides sweep back and forth across
the United States。 That which is sown and tended by few men； comes
to sudden ripeness and must be gathered by many men； and it is
inevitable that these many men form floating populations。 In the
late spring the berries must be picked； in the summer the grain
garnered； in the fall； the hops gathered； in the winter the ice
harvested。 In California a man may pick berries in Siskiyou；
peaches in Santa Clara； grapes in the San Joaquin； and oranges in
Los Angeles； going from job to job as the season advances； and
travelling a thousand miles ere the season is done。 But the great
demand for agricultural labor is in the summer。 In the winter； work
is slack； and these floating populations eddy into the cities to eke
out a precarious existence and harrow the souls of the police
officers until the return of warm weather and work。 If there were
constant work at good wages for every man； who would harvest the
crops？
But the last and most significant need for the surplus labor army
remains to be stated。 This surplus labor acts as a check upon all
employed labor。 It is the lash by which the masters hold the
workers to their tasks； or drive them back to their tasks when they
have revolted。 It is the goad which forces the workers into the
compulsory 〃free contracts〃 against which they now and again rebel。
There is only one reason under the sun that strikes fail； and that
is because there are always plenty of men to take the strikers'
places。
The strength of the union today； other things remaining equal； is
proportionate to the skill of the trade； or； in other words；
proportionate to the pressure the surplus labor army can put upon
it。 If a thousand ditch…diggers strike； it is easy to replace th