Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-08-10
THURSDAY EVENING. AUGUST IL
AvERr1NG RAILROAD STRIKE

n
DOTH the railroads and the broth
ID therhoods are to be commended
for their agreement TO submit
their differences TO mediation instead
of plunging the country into the most
extensive and disastrous strike in its
history. The first step toward a
peaceful adjustment OF the difficulties
existing has been taken and If both
the companies and the unions will be
as reasonable in approaching a COM
promise now as they have been under
almost similar circumstances in other
years there Will no question as TO
the success OF the negotiations under
way. a weighty responsibility rests
upon all concerned and the public
would have very little sympathy for
ary Interest that would arbitrarily in
sist uTon such impossible terms as
would bring on : waik-out that would
pzraiyze tEe tuc:ness CT the whole
county for an indefinite reriod
u tie --idst OF strikes and runors
D otrikss. u becomes more and more
cT5Seat tat. notwlthstanding the alb
zo-raIly high prices prevailing IN
most Eaes ot trade for raw and in
.1oed materials. the most important
sEctor n present day industrial life
50 the high cost Of man-power. The
cost Of manufacture, by the use OF
machinery, has been going down
steadily in most lines while the cost
CT man-power has been advancing.
The bigger the volume OF trade and
the larger the profits, naturally the
higher the wage paid. Business in
America has been able 10 meet the
almost constantly advancing scale be-
cause it could pay the price. How long
it can continue TO meet the demands
for more pay and what will happen
in the readjustment period after the
European war are thoughts that ought
TO be in the mind of every employer
and every labor leader. When the
bottom falls out ot the munii.oa mar
ket and the prices Of iron and other
commodities begin 10 sink back tow
ard normal. what then?
Living is high and may go higher
before the tide turns. 4 dollar buys
less now than at any time since the
Civil War. but profits, except in a few
favored lines. have not kept pace with
advancing costs. Every man is justi-
fed in selling his labor at the high
est market price. but it is the wise
labor organization that looks to the
future. There is no good in killing
the goose that lays the golden egg
and while seeing 10 il that men are
paid as much as the business in which
they are employed can safely pay. all
of US ought TO realize that we are
approaching a most critical period
when the combination of American
brains and American Drawn and
American millions will have 10 stand
or fall together. Already Germany.
France and England are organizing
to wrest our world markets from us
and even to invade our own country.
unless we pass laws 10 prevent. In
less our mills are 10 close and our
railroads stagnate when all Europe
starts its great industrial drive against
US, we must stand united and ready
for the onslaught. Capital and labor
are going TO be in the trenches side
by side, and it would be disastrous in
deed if the crisis found them at odds
with each other. If We are to come
through victorious, with our position
ss an industrial world-power assured
and our prosperity guaranteed. capi-
tai must be just and labor reasonable.
1t will go hard with all OF US IL the
present war-like attitude of one tow
ard the other is maintained The price
of man-power is their chief bone Of
contention. They must get together
on that, and there is much TO be said
on both sides.