New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-08

can never again urge tho same facts
in dealing with employers. 1t will be
impossible 20 stand out for a certain
rate of production when the employer
need only turn up his books to prove
that the rate in question was exceeded
perhaps ninefold during the war.
The sheer helplessness Of the con-
gress only emphasizes the fact that we
are faced by new conditions which re-
quire new treatment. We must have
restatement of facts and q clear de-
fined policy in regard to the future. A
new edifice has arisen, hurriedly
erected, but likely TO remain. We must
realize It's presence.
IL admit there is a difficulty In clear
thinking at the moment. I believe la
Dor, as whole, realizes the danger by
which 1t is menaced, but, on the other
hand, it is naturally affected by a GER
tain emotion for the time being. The
war has tended to throw mems minds
into state of fiux, just as it has most
conditions of life.
in some cases one even sees men
wavering in the opinions of lifetime.
One finds the fiercest individualists of
former times expressing themselves as
partial converts 20 socialism. In other
cases lifelong Socialists are beginning
TO wonder, as the result of the mani
fold experiments recently carried out,
whether state socialism is the blessing
they believed it to be. In the case of
the latter | believe their doubt to be
only temporary. They will and must
realize eventually that the type Of
state socialism we have been witness
ing has been merely state socialism in
wartime, hurriedly adopted TO meet
rev and unknown conditions. That OF
peace time would be of very different
variety.
Thousands Face Starvation.
Nevertheless, labor may be driven
quicker than it knows to make up its
mind and formulate new ideas. So
far it has been almost inarticulate re-
garding the difficulties beginning 20
surround it. But present conditions of
life in this country may force it TO de-
clare itself.
During the coming winter many
thousands of people in this country
will be on the verge of starvation and
numbers may die from cold. In the
recent past war excitement and emo
ton have enabled many classes Of the
community to endure in silence their
grievances and hardships. There has
scarcely been a murmur of discomfort.
This is characteristic of the British
race. They have a capacity for putting
up with minor troubles and irritations.
But they are apt to break loose when
faced with really serious trials.
These the coming winter is likely TO
bring. With food prices advanced 20
per cent, with coal almost unprocurable
by the poor, life is going to be very
hard. Workers in want will ask for
real share in war profits. Labor will
have to throw aside all emotion and de-
clare itself.
Two other questions also present
themselves upon which labor must
make up its mind. One is fiscal policy.
The other is internationalism. The
Trade Union Congress failed to deal
with either. Its treatment Of the Com
pers proposal for an international con-
ference of workers was childish and
undignified.
an regard to free trade il listened
TO the suggestions Of one or two wealthy
unions, which, out of sheer selfishness,
call for high tariffs, without regard 10
the interests of the remainder of the
whole there can be only ore fiscal poll
Employers Cannot Unite.
"But If the workers will face the
problems before them the future need
not be as black as it may appear now.
Two factors are likely 10 fight in their
favor One is that, il they have re-
nounced everything they have gained,
and, to some extent, delivered them
selves into the hands Of the capital
lists, yet one Circumstance is bound al
ways to operate in their favor. II Is
that employers can never be really
united-never united to the same point
as the workers. No two sets Of EN-
ployers can ever agree for long either
on questions Of production or price.
In this weakness Of their sdversaries
lies the weapon Of Labor.
Then, again, there is promise In
the future. None can have failed to
notice the marvellous resemblance
between the present war and the
Napoleonic wars. What happened af-
ter the latter! Following the imme-
date period Of stagnation there came
the greatest outburst Of mechanical
invention and industrial activity the
world had ever known.
Even this war has given an enor-
nous stimulus to invention. research
and discovery. Is it not likely that
the effect may be permanent-that the
awakening Of the inventive genius Of
the country may not lead to results
Of enormous value in times Of peaesf
Should this be the case, then there
may be no cause for any lessening Of
production and Labor man not merely
be prosperous, but also Ia . position
to make its own bargains and regain
its old strenkth."