The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-11-26
A REAL THIRD PARTY.

in the coal dispute an increase of 361 per cent in day
wages for the and 2712 cents per ton for piece
work This mas been accepted by the representatives OF
the miners but has been refused by those representing
the operators who had offered increase of 10 cents
ton which the miners had declined The people are an
party in these negotiations and such would
like to know just what the terms proposed by Mr. Wilson
and agreed to by the miners would to them, how
much it would add the present ton price Of coal to
the consumer and what effect it would have upon guam
ty production in the future When the operators Of
fered IS cents more per the head of their committee
said it would 40 cents per ton more to the con-
sumer though he did not enlighten the presumably in
erested consumer to the process by which Is cents
paid to the miner became 40 charged to the public
Secretary Wilson is adjuster and not negotator
on behalf of the people in this conference. His sole
object is to put an end the strike and the to
the national welfare it constitutes by any sort of com
promise the mine and operatives agree upon
does not at all follow that whatever agreement is made
will be for the best interests of the public only
that it will put END to the present ntoerabe con
dtons. There is denying that we have been PLACED
in such position that any sort terms upon which ar
end to it might be brought about would be considered
advantageous to the pubs much the less of two evils
who has pistol pointed at his head naturally
considers the lowering of that pistol as the one thing
Immediately to be desired upon any terms that may Sc
cure it, The United States is being held up and b!
Of its distress is being forced into the acceptanc
of whatever terms necessary for relief Secretar
Wilson is merely doing what he to bring that relief
with special consideration as to what may be late
result or of how much better settlement might be mad
if there were time in which to make it.
Nevertheless if the settlement is upon basis unfai
to the public either to become later provisio
should be made TO rprotection fthe public interests
For instance if the true remedy for the inadequate in
come of the miners is days of employment rathe
than higher basic wage, there should be recognition
of that fact so that when conditions change and tn
number of days of work increase the basis of pay cou
be reduced accordingly. The public now compelled t.
oay more for their coal order to give the miners tn
otal annual income they should have, should be give
understand that when that increased income can b
mad without this increased wage, the added price the
must now pay for coal in order give that larger ncom
will be taken off If by increase of railroad facilities in
Guiding river facilities addition to the number of Goa
ars establishment of storage systems and convenience
more early buying by consumers and other influence
making for greater uniformity of operation of the mine
and giving the miners larger number of days of
Turing the year the wage basis at the time Of the strk
would yield all the increase in income that may now b
agreed upon necessary then the public should not
called upon to continue paying the higher prices for
this increase in basic rates will entail
/ 1t would please the public very much if recognito
OF their interest in this matter given by maxim
some sort of reservation of it in the agreement b.
ing negotiated. 1t would please the people if the
interest in all labor troubles where contention is of
rous injury to industry, commerce and domestic lii
were recognized by common consent and in whatevt
legislation may be had for the settlement of industr
disputes and fixing industrial conditions, In every COZ
roversy the number of the people affected by the set
ment who outside the contendng ranks far
the number of conenders on both sides In this parti
ular dispute the unrepresented interest is 200 to
in the number of persons affected though each ndvidu
Of the larger group has smaller personal interest tina
each individual of the two much smaller groups. 1t
time this third party interest in all industrial dispute
and settlements received recognition both in conference
where terms of settlement agreed upon and in ar
legislation creating machinery for composition of di
putes,-~St Louis Globe Democrat.
KEEPING THE BOYS STRAIGHT.