Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-15
STRIKE SHOULD BE ARBITRATED
Reasons Urged by Cardinal Gibbons,
Archbishop of Baltimore.
From the Independent.

] From the Independent.
The industrial crisis which we have been
| passing through in this country has caused
| widespread suffering among a class of our
| people who are entirely innocent of con-
| nection with either side; but should the
| present relations between the coal miners
| and the operators continue, the hardship
! and suffering which will be inflicted upon
| the country at large is too dreadful to con-
| template. Unfortunately, the United States
| has been the scene of a number of great
| conflicts between labor and capital which
| affected many thousands Of workingme n
| and resulted in great losses to the employ
| ers, but in most instances the harmful re-
suits were confined to a certain section Of
| the country and to but few classes Of
| citizens. 1t is, perhaps, unnecessary for me
! to more than allude to the fact that the
| cessation of mining operations in Pennsyl-
| vania deprives the American people Of one
! of their greatest sources of fuel supply. If
| all of the country enjoyed the climate of
| the southern states a winter without the
| product of these mines might be endured,
| but the residents of very large portion Of
| the United States must have artificial heat
| during period of at least three months a
| year, if not longer. They have depended to
great extent upon these deposits Of the
earth which have been so generously pro-
| vided for their comfort.
| While the Door must bear the brunt of
the suffering. the Weather classes are also
affected. In fact. the strike is truly ma
tional calamity, and any just plan which
will bring it to a close should be adopted.
| There should be way to adjust differences
| of all kinds between employer and employee
and in country such as ours it seems to
me that no necessity should arise for fric-
| ton between the workingman and the cap
italist While the latter has the right to
| have his interest protected by the laws of
the country and should receive due credit
| for the projects by which he furnishes
| livelihood for others. the laboring' man,
whether skilled or unskilled, also has rights
which should be recognized and upheld.
There is danger lest We forget that the
man who tolls. either above the earth's sur
face or beneath 1t. to secure an honest liv-
Ing for himself and his family is just as
much a citizen as his employer. Thanks
to our form Of government the humblest
member of society is equal in this respect
to the wealthiest mine owner and has the
some rights according to the laws Of this
country.
The men who obtain for us the product
of the mines follow a vocation which is not
only extremely arduous, but fraught with
great personal danger. I believe 1t will be
admitted that they have had in the past
many good reasons for complaint, and that
more than one instance has occurred where
they have had ample cause to protest
against the injustice of their EMPLOYERS
although not a few of the labor difficulties
have been caused by the ill-advised and
nasty action on the part of the EMPLOYEES
LII the present instance, however, / cannot
refrain from expressing my sympathy with
the workers in the mines in their effort to
better their condition. Without yenturing
to express an opinion as to the legal rights
involved In the matter at issue, it seems to
me that Mr.. MitcheH's offer to submit the
entire matter to arbitration is disinterested
and shows spirit which should meet with
public approval. Had some recognized
board of arbitration been given an oppor-
tunity to act as mediator I believe the out
come would have been satisfactory to both
| sides and the menacing situation which
now exists would have been avoided.
The attitude taken by President Roosevelt
In endeavoring amicably to end the strike
cannot be too highly commended. It was
noble opportunity, and. in spite of Its fail
ure. revealed characteristics of the execu-
tive of this country which will be thor
oughly appreciated by the American people,
Personally had hoped, from the bottom
of my heart, that some adjustment fair to
both employer and employee would result
from the conference at Washington: and
had the dispute been left by mutual agree
ment in the hands of the President himself
as an arbitrator I am positive that the OUT
come would have been generally satisfac-
Ftory.