The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-10-11

No student Of affairs is able to ex-
plain the present labor situation by
attributing it all to industrial dis
content Civilization involves discon-
tent, because it also involves an ad-
vance in the standard of living, and
thus the unfortunate thread becomes
interviewer with the warp of progress.
These things are inseparable from our
economic life and will remain SO un-
til a wiser generation has found the
way to cure thousand defects in our
systems of social organization. The
demon of discomfort we have ever with
US, but the widespread labor troubles
that now impair our efficiency in
graphing effectively with the domin
ant issues of war are. wholly excep-
tional. They are so manifestly reac-
ton from abnormal conditions that
one is forced to consider them ALL di-
rectly or indirectly, a part of hostile
propaganda 1t is significant of hid
den motives that the same kind of in
reference with the operations of gov
eminent appeared instantly in Brazil
when her relations with Germany be-
came strained. The phenomenon has
been repeated in the Argentine Re-
public at the moment when the sem
ate and deputies of that country have
accepted the Teutonic challenge, de-
spite the restraint of President Irigo-
yen's cautious diplomacy. The recog-
milton of international influences in
these disorders necessarily requires
that other considerations than those
of mere economic adjustment must
weigh strongly with our government
in restoring safe working basis to
meet the existing crisis. We are at
war, and the production of raw ma
terials and their manufacture is as
vital factor in the military program
as the CONSUMPTION and training OF
soldiers. The methods of war must
be as relentlessly applied to indus
try as to the discipline of the army
that is to do the actual fighting for
the preservation of our country.
The sudden demands for an enorm-
ousy increased output from mine and
factory have intensified the peril of
the situation. A real shortage of labor
is apparent, and at a time when indus
try Is crippled by this shortage the
labor unions continue to ask and to
obtain a wider recognition of the g.
hour day. We have always been in
sympathy with the movement for
shorter working day. and would be
glad to see it generally accepted in
principle, but this is an inopportune
moment to attempt the carrying of
that reform into effect. If we are to
cope successfully with the strains to
which the nation is being subjected in
the present struggle, it is certain that
every true patriot must lengthen rath-
er than curtail the amount of his daily
service He must be ashamed to take
l6 hours rest out of "a while his
country calls for aid If our states
men, our legislators, our committees
Tor defense were to trim their daily
labor to- 8 hours by the clock, we
would speedily be in the way Of sub
hitting to the same brutal invasion of
our rights that has crushed and ruin
ed Belgium. That means that every
man would go to work at the point OF
the bayonet, that his choice of labor
1aI hot hp
would receive only the bare necessi-
Ties of life from his military taskmas-
ters. II any of us are so unpatriotic
as not to respond willingly to the call
or duty, if we must render our quota
10 the common good under compulsion,
then it had better be under the orders
Oh peace-loving democracy that Of
lers the assurance of future blessings
and of a continuous social uplift The
TABOR unions should take a long look
ahead; in the free institutions of a
popular government guaranteeing un-
restricted and equal franchise they
should recognize the safe foundation
lor social structure on which the
principles Of larger equity shall be
more perfectly established. This END
surely not to be anticipated through
military autocracy committed to the
policies of ruthless national and ra-
eial ACKNOWLEDGMENT. The time has
come when the menace of the future
must force those entrusted with the
government OF this free republic tc
remind us that in time of war our en-.