The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-02-15
BANKER MORGAN SAYS LABOR
MUST be TAUGHT LESSON
OF SUBMISSION.
Talked With French Editor Regarding
Recent Panic, It's Causes and lts
Uses-Intimates That He Does Not
Care to See Complete Recovery at
the Present Time.

SATURDAY W lAO UduhC1 " <A1OAoAOSA
Ular, editor of the Petit Journal Of
Paris. Morgan lays down the prOpo-
sition that the time has come when
the great battle between capital and
labor must be fought out. He tells
the French newspaperman that the
workingman has got to learn that he
cannot control industry, but must &C
cept wages that will make honest and
profitable business possible.
Morgan adds that as thousands of
men are now out of work, it is better
to keep them in that condition until
they realize that they are powerless
to prevent wage reductions. He is of
the opinion that the present depression
is extremely useful, and as capitalist
he does not care to see it relieved at
present. Says M. Ular:
In Europe, J. P. Morgan has often
been compared to Napoleon, chiefly by
persons who have never met him and
have not experienced the strong i'm
preston of his personality. Neverthe-
less the comparison is just. The tenn
permanent and the harsh energy of the
great banker is doubtless that of die
tator, and I should feel inclined to
say that, if Mr.. Morgan had lived in
another country and at another age,
he would have been a 'condottiere' of
the Renaissance or even a Mongol con-
Queror.
Every inch of this man, in spite of
his perfect urbanity and his plain man
ners, is self-consciousness, love of
power. I have the impression that he
is perfectly happy when, by nod of
his head or by few sweeping words,
he can reply to a question or express
a view with the gertrude that there
can be no more opposition. 1t is just
as with the popes in the Middle Ages:
Rome has spoken; the matter is set
tied.
Time to Settle Social Question.
"And I shall never forget the calm
and the naughty, although very simple,
way in which, talking about the Jap
anese question, he said to me:
There viii be no war with Japan.
'1t was crushing, and I felt that no
argument could shake his conviction,
because he probably is able to prevent
it. He plainly agreed with me when I
III n1 hA f,vor IN
side of the crisis is the social one.
eyes, it is all a social question,
just as in Europe. The time has come
when the question is to be settled.
want to settle it, he said.
after having talked about the in
dustrial situation, depression and its
outlook for the future, Mr.. Morgan
said he thought this depression is very
useful, and he did not care to see it
relieved at all just now.
Labor Must Submit or Stafve.
In>other words, then, Mr.. Morgan,
this crisis will serve to crush the pow
er of the workmen. You will use it
for reducing wages. But will not the
Federation oppose it?'
They are unable. Industry is
partly stopped
"'They will go on strike
Strike! They have no jobs now.
There are no stocks on hand, you
know. We do not want to take up
work again now. So what can they
do? They will have t6 submit, or they
will starve. The question is to be set
tied. They are to learn that they can
not control industry. We want wages
that will make honest and profitable
business possible. The question now
is the same all over the world
$50, then, the real causes of the
crisis are much deeper than I sup
posed. They are of a social kind,
They are, in fact, due to the necessity
OF bringing the struggle between en-
ployers and employees to a definite re-
suit.
'Mr. Morgan seemed anxious to be
the champion Of social order against
socialism. and even against unionism.
He looked at me with half-closed eyes,
as though contented with having given
me an insight into the innermost heart
of events
when we talked together about the
immediate causes OF the recent panic,
had the strong impression that he
thought the main cause was that
somebody wanted a little lesson.
Morgan Like Tiger.
The immediate cause he said,
besides certain economic conditions,
were various attempts at Legislation.
1t was sufficiently clear. of course, but
1T would have been ridiculous to ask
Morgan If he made the panic himself.
He spitefully chewed the word Wash
|ington.' closing his mouth with vigor,
like tiger who is just breaking the
spine of q sheep, and then smiled as II
satisfied with the result Morgan has
the most expressive face / have ever
seen.
He is almost as angry against the
French government as against Wash
ington. He does not understand, or he
does not want to understand. why dur
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