The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1918-07-19
Arbitrate!
II
o HARRINGTON
o. ns Nsaaasss

In wartime the strike Il not the rem.
edy for ~prohteering. Publicity and nc
ton by the government are the RENE
dies for %nrohtcering. Pronteering that
brings on n strike n, IN effect. not bet
ter than treason; but n strike may IT,
self be an attempt 20 ~'prohtcer" and
therefore not better In result than
treason. Every sensible person, how.
ever. understands that workmcn are
entitled to as high wages as they a
get without interfering with the utmost
possible efficiency OF Industry engag.
ed In the prosecution OF the war. A
strike does interfere with such en-
cheney. aud therefore meant a larger
casualty list and increased danger 10
the country. That IL to say: II I am a
war industry workman on strike I I'm
prolonrlng the war and adding to the
risk OF Amerlca's defeat In the war.
This means that I cause death and
wounds 60 n certain number Of Ameri-
can boys who would have com home
safe and sound Co their mothers II l
hadn't gone on strike. That Ia the sim
pie truth and II ! nm impeding a war
industry by going on strike. ! might
Just as well have torn and tortured the
bodies OF those boys myself. The re-
sponslbillty Is 80 terrible that no work
man who understands Il would take II.
except to avoid n greater amount Of
torture and death at home through
starvation wages.
Arbitration will give him what he
needs and what he j~ustlhably wants.
The whole country understands that a
workman cannot live today on the
wages OF ten years ago. Wages have
got 10 advance. OF course, as the price
OF commodities advances; and the
price OF commodities advances, Of
course, as wages advance; though Il Is
10 the advantage of the workman 20
let the price OF commodities begin 20
advance first. But his wages must
take nccoun OF higher prices, and per-
init him not only life. liberty and the
pursuit OF happiness. but allow him
10 save. as well. That Is all that any
man on this earth Is entitled to wheth-
or he be garbage man or kaiser; and
Il Il al that Is worth getting and the
ideal OF this country Is that every man
shall have Il. This r. what we are
fighting for; that no man shall take
way this right from another man..
thnt no nan shall make another man
his slave. as the Germans have made
conquered labor their slave and as
they would make slaves Of us n they
conquered US,
Now such Ia the temper OF u coun-
try that the responsibility for a strike
which means more death, more Grip
pling, more binding. more shot away
faces, for our young men, sons OF
worklngmen and sons OF capitalists,
nrhtlng side by side and comrades
"ovcr there" NJ they will be over here
when they come home-the RESPONSE
billy for such u strike II an infinitely
heavier and more dangerous thing
than those who rashly assume that re-
sponslbility can know, and no decent
human being could be so selfish and 80
treacherous 20 his country ms knowing
ly to bring about such a strike.
And the temper Of the country In
these days Is TO know causes as well
as results. Where the %greedlness OF n
prohteer has caused a strike, his money
will not be envled him for he shall not
have II. nor his liberty either. And Il
Il u%nthinkable that American work
men, or workmen who are human
beings, for that matter-lt II unthlnk-
able that they viii strike, wen for mere
Justice, without having 20 the last ut
most atom Of their energy pressed for
settlement by arbitration.
The syndicate service, founded by
Samuel Gompers and representing the
point Of view of the American Fedora
ton OF Labor, reports an address by
william Mosses, president OF the Pat
tern Makers Union OF Great Britain.
Mr.. Mosses was speaking In the Labor
Temple In San Francisco. He said
ave were requested 10 abrogate oui
working rules and agreements
10 give up everything that tended to re.
strict output. Being convinced
that this was necessary, unless we de
sired to SEQ the entire world s~ubjugat
ed by German ~autocracy, we recon
mended that our unions submit 20 th'
request made by the government
This meant that there wal q
be no %stoppage Of work during the war
Il meant the acceptance OF compulsory
' arbitration. . We have secured
better results through arbitration thar
by resorting to the strike, which SHOULD
be used as a last resort after all else
! has failed. II this IN done, the strik'
weapon will rest In lis scabbard."
And Mr.. Moses said another thin
worth thinking about. To-day labor II
Great Britain Is more prosperoui
than ever before In It's history. . .
Our influence Is greater than ever be
2 fore and our workers are enjoylnl
wealth beyond the dream Of avarice.'
: Not only Is arbitration necessary
} hut 10 naval