The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-07
MINISTERIAL BELLIGERENCy.

Seine aaaar Eaeas- friend has seat ns-
sicusly marked copy of the Milwaukee Leader,
which ia literally red tthat is red-typcd, in
the face over What it calls the activities OF
"Cossacks in the Coal Strike 1t seems
That a certain element known as "Nisilautes
lave been beating up union men. and the
police have been helping their efforts along.
Life is too short. and San Diego. California.
too fer away to Justify the time necessary IN
getting to the bottom OF strike which mas
u;ede little impression upon the country at
large, however 1t may loom in the Imagination
rs the Milwaukee papers OF socialists ten
seacy.
The point Ia that our friend desires to know
BIZ typewriter notation the paper, Why
not give us some editorial comment on the
Free speech fight in San Diego"
A Evidently. this WIS written by person
Mho has such intense interest in one phase
pf industrial conditions that he is unable to
Imagine the justice OF the other side OF the
question We rarely pay attention to anony
NOUS communications, but we imagine that
this one comes from the same person who has
rerentIy written several Letters protesting
against editorials in which tho ground taken
was than the public should not permit strikes
which would tie UP the transportation of the
country. and that the Government. represent
lnE the people should not permit the unionixa-
Kion OF its employees sueh,
SO far as free speech is concerned. we are
for H. even II IT so TO the point of preaching
abstract anarchy In the public place. We be-
l1eve that this country is sane enough, and
strong enough to stand almost any sort OF
tpoken insanity. Free speech. however, has its
nmitk No man has right to directly urA
inc commission OF crime. II he does so, he rs
morally, and in some cases legally, equally
YuiTty With the criminal who commits No
man; or set OF men. has the right to organize
by speech or writing a boycott or otherwise
10 couspire to the destruction OF property,
whether that property be a business. product
az the bare right to contract for labor or to
labor Speech in either OF these cases is IL
c~nse. and license is never free. The Gold
en- Rule" is applicable to business life as
enunciated by the law as we'll as to the moral
life. M enuncated by the Christ
Is the tate Of any paper-that undertakes
IL discuss any phase OF the Labor Problem
IL be smisunderstood by both sides. In the
rase of The virgtnian. we have fully appre-
eiafed and stated the outrage done the stFii-
&rs of Lawrence, when children were forcibiy
dSfained after tickets had been bought for
them to take railroad journey. We were as
utterly out of sympathy with the methods
\ once followed in Colorado, with 'hull-pens,
where yfu authorities were at fauft, were
with the dynamiting or the Los Angeles Times,
where prominent labor leaders were engaged
ii conspiracy OF destruction. We are as
thoroughly against the invasion OF the liberty
III ssr!hc as NC ire asatnst sft efrnrvsor sttiS'
ers TO assume the authority OF controlling the
freedom 10 contract
The trouble with the whole matter OF So
/. called e.iabor disputes Ia the tendency OF
ether aide to forget the Law and then cry law
lsrsness against resentment in Kind by the OPP
pneite party
.. THE problem H. one for the public 70 in
some manner devise method OF controlling
Tor the public good the nuisance of constant
Industrial belligerency.