Evening journal., 1903-09-01
DAWN OF PEACE
SAYS JUDGE GRAY
Declares That Organized
Labor Is a Conserving
PowerEfor Good
DEFENDS PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
Noted Jurist Says That the Action
Of the Chief Magistrate of Nation
in Coal Strike Crisis Was Courage

Judge George Gray Of the United States
Court yesterday gave his views on the
labor question. He spoke frankly on this
weighty subject and declared that some
time in the future the people themselves
would find a solution Of the question in
volved in the struggle between capital and
labor.
Il believe that we will find solution
Of the question involved in this struggle
between capital and labor" he said. I'VE
will solve it in our own way, along lines
OF humanity and common sense. But
It will take a long time. Habit changes
slowly when the change Is real and
permanent. We have got to have some
system Of arbitration to avoid the settle
ment Of questions by force in civilized
States. I am confident that there is a
bottom fact in human nature in which
we can find an alternative Of violence
and the strong hand.
Question Of Amiable Settlement.
Il do not say that this alternative will
be applicable TO all questions. but when
we come TO large issues which must be
settled-which must be settled, say
and the question is the displacement Of
union men on the one side or the dis
placement of non-union men on the other
side. a settlemet by force leaves bit
terness and unrest II new labor Is
used to displace the old labor. and a
settlement is effected only by the use
of the police, the question Is whether
we have not purchased peace at too
great a price; and 1 think that employ
ers are coming and will come to see that
rsn ff4 "a
peaceful settlement with the old and ac-
customed labor than by rudely settling
a dispute by bringing in new labor at
lower wages or altered conditions.
Refer Troubles to Outside.
Tt seems to me that the problem will
work out in the recognition by employ
ers ard employees that when they come
to a disagreement involving the extrem-
ity of a suspension OF work, they car
be better satisfied by referring Il tC
men-that g.. to impartial citizens. VIII,
will reflect the common sense OF th'
community. saw that point yer,
clearly illustrated a few days ago wheI
1 was helping TO settle the coal strix
in Alabama Men who had refused e
Weld directly to the other side in th'
dispute would say: All right, Judge; s
you say so. I'll stand by It. II you sa,
so. It's all right And they said it cheer
fully.
eound a considerable feeling of tina
kind in the South. The men did not holJ
each other off at arms length. It may
be that the negro question has brought
about a greater feeling Of Democracy
among white men than one finds else.
where. but. whatever the cause, that feel.
ing was an important factor in the settle.
ment Of the Alabama coal strike.
Organized Labor a Good Thing.
"My opinion is that labor unions hav,
come to stay. The tendency Of organized
labor is to bring better men TO the front
That tendency is marked. The two mer
who represented the strikers in Alabama
brought to the discussion, which resulted
in the settlement. a gratifying spirit and
intelligence. As we go on labor viii pass
through its Gethsemane of strikes and
discords and come out on a plane and
recognize a true purpose and method CON
slstent with the best ends OF human so
ciety.
II think that personal contact in the
settlement Of labor questions is educa
tional to both employer and employe
Both sides have something to learn.
Il dare not hope that there will no
be serious labor troubles in the future
but I feel that there will be a hettermen
OF conditions. AS business is being don't
on an increasingly larger basis the dis
tance that separates the workman per
sonally from his employer increases. The,