Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-03-22

New York, Mar I.-Nar Is still the
prime factor in both business and polit.
ical affairs. Signs Of increasing weak
ness among the central powers are mul-
tiplying. The fall of Bagdad, the re-
treat on the Somme, the cessation Of
Zeppelin raids and the less vigorous
submarine campaign all point to failing
energies. The Teutons may be able to
keep up the struggle longer than their
antagonists expect, but the sooner their
people recognize the inevitable, the less
disastrous the consequences and the
more favorable the terms of peace viii
be. There are evident signs of wide
spread distress among their people, par
tieularly among the poorer classes who
cannot afford TO pay famine prices Tor
food; and there is no doubt that in spite
of a splendid exhibition of patriotic
resistance the people are in sore straits,
with no prospects whatever of relief.
Could they only be brought TO under
stand the spirit of the American pco-
pie; also that the allies do not seek
to destroy Germany, but simply to sub
due the military autocraey, it is prob
able that peace would come more
friends in this country, and these look
forward with apprehension to the in
ternal consequences of disillusionment
which must ultimately be faced, Thus
far this country has not been drawn
into the struggle, although the impress
sion that we eventually will be grows
daily; and there is an immense volume
of public indignation over submarine
outrages that may explode under con-
tinued provoeation and prccipitate us
into the conflict, Apparently nothing
can avert such a step, unless Germany
changes her submarine policy, which is
not likely so long as she clings to the
delusion that her submarines will prove
the undoing OF England. Submarines
have undoubtedly inflicted serious dam.
age TO the British merchant marine, but
not sufficient to materially endanger
her food supply or to threaten her m ri
time supremacy The loss of merchant
tonnage will be quickly made up. Means
of largely eounteracting submarine ac
tivity have evidently been devised, and
the British fleet still maintains its
silent grip, against which submarines
seem almost impotent. The placing OF
guns upon American ships is simply in
accordance with the inherent right OF
self-protection when attacked If Ger
many commits the covert act" upon al
armed vessel of the United States, she
will be the aggressor; and the response
bility for dragging this country into
the war must fall solely where it be
longs, upon the German government
The partial failure of the submarine
campaign of frightfulness lessons, but
does not remove the danger of collision
between the United States and Ger
many.
u Revolution in Russia.
A new phase of great importance i
the revolution in Russia, arising out o
unsatisfactory prosecution Of the wa
by the czar, The result is expected t
be more aggressive war policy unde
the new government. Russia is passin,
through new birth, the outcome O
which promises to be new freedom an,
new progress after the storm nov
sweeping over the world has abated.
4 Some unsettlement was NATURAL,
caused by announcement that .th,
Brotherhood of Engineers had ordered
a strike to take effect at the end O.
! this week.. While the order was accom-
panied by a promise of loyalty to 4h
: government and expressed an intention
lof not interfering with government ne
cessities in ease of war, the threat to ii
up the railroads at such critical perio,
was received with considerable alarm
A tie-up of this character, even On
} limited scale, could not but seriousl,
. embarrass the national government i
{ its preparations for war, and woul
J cause untold inconvenience and suffer
J ing upon many thousands of peopl
through the shutting off Of supplies an,
| causing a further sharp rise in the cos
' of food. 1t was considered inconceiy
/. able that the union leaders would max
so grave a blunder, which, if put int
effect, would bring down storm o
s public indignation and destroy all syn
3. pathy for the brotherhoods, probabI
t defeating their purpose. Further, in tn
present crisis the government might no
hesitate to tCke over the railroads an
enforce rules much more rigid tina
those in existence and far less favorabl
to labor, which in the main would prob
/, ably prefer the freedom of private cor
, troll, as against the rigidity of govern
4 ment control. Public opinion is espt
: cially against a strike when the Who'll
: question is before the supreme court fo
: decision as to eonstitutionality of tn
1, Adamson law. To attempt to eoerc
!, the highest court of the land, or tn
+ president himself, shows lack of re
speet and reverence for authority tina
4 is likely to awaken country wide pull
a lie resentment. The threatening aetio
n Of the brotherhoods is entirely unwal
ranted and will in the end injure rathe
than benefit their organization. 1t
improbable that the rank and file 0
the unions, who are human and no
= lacking in a sense of fair play, wish t
f press their claims with such suprem
t selfishness and disregard of all othe
I interests; but they are led by leader
/, Ewho are anxious to secure reelectio
i and are unwilling to admit that ther
0 are three parties to this controversy
the employees, the railroads and the pul
d lie. The advancement of labor is NJ
$ opposed by any considerable number {
intelligent people in this country, BIT
the success of labor in this respect Is d.
! pendent upon intelligent, judicious an
I fair-minded leadership. The wages prol
lem can never be satisfactorily adiuste
by force, or on the basis of "Let hi
take who can y That way lies disorde