The Nome daily nugget., 1913-11-08

Surely there must he something wrong with our industrial scheme of things Hardly a day passes that we do not read of strikes and riots, destruction of property and the use of bayOnets and bullets in places that should he coo civilized, too well governed, too free from the conditions that breed a law Jess spirit to require the presence of the military to preserve the public peace and prevent the destruction of property.
 A little while ago it was Michigan, then Colorado and now it is Indiana that is prostrate under the scourage of industrial upheaval.
 Militia was called out to prevent the destruction of property in Colo rado and battle was fought. Militia at present occupy the city of Indiana polls as would an invading army. The whole fighting force of the state is there protecting the capital city from riot and bloodshed.
 Most of us have not the time nor the desire to go into the ethics of these strikes. We do not know whether the men who have thrown down their tools or quit their jobs are right or wrong. We do not know whether tho employers who refuse to grant the demands of their men are right or wrong Certain it is that the men be- lieve that they have just cause to strike or they would not place their families in a position to face the win ter without means of support. Also it ] la equally osrtain that the employers believe that the right is on their side or they would not be willing to lose the money aid suffer the setback to business that serious strike entails. Any man has right to quit work when he chooses. If the entire em- ployed force of any corporation are dissatisfied and if they have no bind ing contract with the employer there is not a thing in the world to prevent every man of them from quitting when he pleases.
 Likewise it would seem that every employer has the right to hire whom he pleases to work for him.
 However. there seems to be deeper questions involved in these recent strikes than the rights of employer and employee. Rights which both sides overlook in their own selfishness These are the rights of the public which makes it possible for both the hired and the one who hires to live and the state which expects and de- mands that every citizen be q law abiding citizen.
 Laying aside the ethical question of these strikes it seems that both sides owe more to society and the state than they seem willing to give and no mercy should be shown either side by the state if investigation can fix the re- sponsibility for the reign of terror which seems to follow in the wake Of these contests between capital and la = bor
 Violence will bring nothing but vio- lence in return and the state Is better prepared to check lawlessness than are the lawless element to continue in their way. Unlawful combinations of capital can be handled better by the courts than by brickbats and fire. And above all the public. the great mass of American people who neither strike nor are responsible for the conditions which bring about strikes have the fundamental right to be protected In life. liberty and the pursuit of hap piness.
 It is a sad commentary -onthis- -en . frightened nation of ours to see within the short space of two months. in three different and widely separated sections of the country. men who should be earning an honest living for their families arming themselves for the destruction of property and then to see the soldiers of the common wealth called out to subdue these men, The public peace must be preserved The people who neither breed strikes, nor make the conditions under which men work must be protected and of course they will be protected if 1t takes every soldier in the United States. But somewhere there is something wrong or these conditions would not come O ahnnt