The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-29

to terminate the strike failed. That Is

, to terminate the strike failed THAT Is
I closed book" said he.
CAUSE OF HEAVY LOSS.
1t IS well known that when the CIVIC
Federation made its attempt 10 mediate the
coal strike the miners were willing TO fore
go all their other demands and return 10
work on being given an increase a OF not ~ nay
cent. on which they offered to compromise.
|. but 5 per cent. Rather than concede that
! petty advance certain operators forced
continuance of the strike and entailed
! total loss on all concerned Of nearly Sl0o-
100000. and they finally consented 10 arbi-
traion, which gave the miners 10 per cent
and a large number of additional conces-
sions.
! I'm talk about the future said Senator
Hanna, suddenly, after he had MADE II clear
that he was not going to talk about what
had gone into history.
Then what do the signs or the times
| foreshadow. as bearing on the great ques-
ton OF Cancellation and arbitration between
labor and capital, which has been given
| been Illustrated by such 4 great object
| lesson as the coal striker senator hanna
was asked.
ut is difficult TO predict with eXactness
on this subject" was the quick reply
There is 4 great movement in the ranks
of labor for settlement of grievances, re-
arrangement of wages and an adjustment
| Of regulations.
Now, l do not think that agitation on the
part of organized labor has been fomented
by the influences which have been felt IN
favor of arbitration and cancellation. Iney
are coming now because this is the season
of the year when wage scales are fixed ana
agreements are entered into for the next
twelve months, so that, while those who are
hostile to any adjustment of relations be-
| tween labor and capital might say that me
agitation has been aided by the work OF
the Coal-Strike Comm ssion. do not think
that position can be maintained.
ARBITRATION INDORSED.
What is rapidly coming to pass is
realization on the part of the laborinS
men that arbitration is good thing. There
should be confidential relations between
labor and capital There must be feeilng
of trust between each other. The side that
asks too much or gives not enough will lose
public support, and the time Is rapldly cont
ing when the side that loses pubic support
loses Its cause.
Labor can easily ask too much and adopt
an attitude that will wreck the object for
which we are striving. 1t can ask more
than its share. When it does and insists
on it. then labor loses, and its interests go
backward.
say to them. DO not ask too much. wages
are high now. Don't forget taat. 1ney
are higher than they ever were tn TINS
country before It may be true that prices
are higher. too. but the higher you raise
wages by arbitrary demands the further
you cut into the profits OF me manu-
fact,irerE without whose invested capital
you could not expect to live. 1t may hast
en- industrial depression. which is bound 10
come sooner or later. and the iigher You
get the greater Is going to be the drop when
that comes
what do you think of the law passed by
Congress providing for compulsory arbi,ra-
effect interstate commerce or the citizens
of more than one State?
81 do not favor it. Capital does not favor
it, The most intelligent leaders of labor do
not favor it. and. more than that. 1t would
probably not be constitutional. ! think the
Coal-Strike Commission acted wisely when
It declared that it did not think such
system would meet with approval or sue
cess"