The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-02-15

The shipping strikes are an unfor-
tunate incident of labor's loyalty
week, which was marred also by 9TH
er unfort innate incidents on the part
of wage payers, oftener called CAPT
talists. So far as such incidents are
of the same quality, they call for
the same condemnation. Profiteer-
ing by labor and capital is equally
obnoxious and contrary to public in
terest. Neither excuses the other.
Secretary of Labor Wilson took the
right sta nd when he declared that,
instead of there being a fair divi-
sion of S UGH ''swag," there ought to
be no " Swag' to divide To clear
the ground for speaking specifically
regarding the shipping strikes, it
may be said at once that the prof.
teering capitalist seems the worse Of
fender, for he has not the excuse of
necessity. The capitalist can go
without profit better than the wage
earners can meet the rising cost of
living. But the striker is equally
defenseless against condemnation
when his strike is more unfair than
what he strikes against
A strike to enforce on the Allan
III SooSI liS "oSt lChSA VI tIC q
cifc Coast can be justified only if
the Pacific Coast wages are either
fair in themselves or procured by
fair methods. VIGOROUSLY, the Pa
cific wages are effiorbitant and ex-
torted by methods which are immor
al and dangerous to democracy. Dy
Mantle has been used freely. Jobs
have been confined to unionists. And
hnr, hn IL hnS
tablished by intimidation the work
ers have struck on the job" that is
have not given a fair days work for
the wage conceded under duress.
When some Americans will not al
low other Americans to work, when
American workers on their own
terms reduce their output as the
wage is raised, the excuse that CAPT
tai also profteers is not admissible.
When the country's life is at stake,
it is not tolerable that men whose
wages have been raised above their
necessities should work only part
time, or just enough to meet their
necessities That is not a suppoSiti-
tiouS case.
1t has been put in evidence at
Washington that 106 shipbuilding
work the labor of 10000 men for a
month, or 596,992 DAYS. In troop
transportation that equals eighty
voyages of a 1000 ton ship. In
terms of cargo, it means the loss of
$4,000 tons, and each American
soldier in France needs thirty tons
a year of supplies and munitions.
The shipping strikes have obstruc-
tnI hn Il ntnh fn oil of Tor
millions of bushels of foodstuffs. We
know what the Germans think of
strikes in wartime. Hindenburgs
words may be adapted to unfair
strikes here: Every hour you lose
means the weakening of Americas
attack on the enemies of democracy.
You are committing a crime against
our army and an act of cowardice
against your brethren in the front
trenches"
Mr.. Gompers' words are even
stronger than Hindenburg's, when
speaking of the Russian Bolsheviki.
He now has opportunity to speak in
suitable terms of the American allies
of the Bolsheviki. Mr.. Gompers has
repeatedly pledged support to the
Governments program in general,
and to shipbuilding in particular,
and has won respect and praise Jy
it. If the Federation wishes to re-
tain the respect it has recently won,
it should discipline tn eunions in af-
filiation with it, when they offend
against country and morality.
Times.
Sometimes 4 woman marries q
homely man thinking that he will
spend his time admiring her, only to
discover that a man can't be too
homely to win his own great admir-
alton and undivided attention.