The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-10-10


cause for calling strike was the nigh
cost of living, rather than too low
wages. The cause for the steel strike
is the grievance of too long hours. The
strikers do not complain or the wages,
but they want shorter hours and the
same pay Whatever the causes are,
they are sufficiently serious TO be con-
sidered on their merit. We are deal
ing with a condition and not with
theory. On the face of 1t, 1t does not
look reasonable that to stop production
can be a remedy for the high cost of
things, nor does it seem good logic TO
think that throwing couple million or
workers, together with another couple
million depending on them for their
sustenance, out OF employment, can
accomplish the desired end of shorten
ing the hours of labor In the future
The loss of time sustained during the
duration of the strike can not be made
up in that way. But in controversies
of every kind, be they between indi-
yiduals. between classes or between
nations, the reasonableness OF the
means of settling the dispute are sell
dom weighed; and even II they are
weighed, they are most often given an
impatient hearing. Quarrels give rise
to passion; the sense of the injury sus-
tanned, and the injustice suffered be-
come the driving forces behind the
word and the action. The emotions
sweep reason and deliberation and COM
mon sense aside. The fires rise and
the kettle boils over. When this con-
dition effects masses, the instinct 70
follow the crowd seizes the individual,
and he is carried along for better or
worse That is the way OF man. There
is nothing new about 1t. Man IS not
only reason; he is also emotion, desire
and instinct. There is no use scoldlng.
In the conflict going on now, we must
Judge men as they are, net as we 'could
wish them to be. 1t was not a reason
able way, nor the best way to settle
the differences which arose IN Europe
five years ago, to start bloody war to
settle them. 1t cost everybody lot;
it cost them most who started 1t. 1t
cost untold numbers of precious lives
and incalculable amounts of treasure
before the passions had spent their
force and exhausted their desire for
settling their differences in that way.
Wise and sound counsel was tried, but
failed. Force as the ultimate means
of settling quarrel and repair an in
jury seems to be mans way, foolish,
unreasonable and wicked as it is. 1t is
not sensible way for labor and capital
to settle their differences as they are
at it Just now 1t is the old way 80
far. The unrest is general in all indus
tries. Some strikes have been settled
by mutual concessions, others have
failed. New ones are in the making.
1t NAV be necessary before the better
was is found that tremendous strike,
bigger and more disastrous than any
before, lockouts and retaliation by the
Intervention of police and armed force
NAV have to come, and fail, before the
new way of organizing the forces of
labor and capital on basis of their
mutual interests can be worked out.
The apostles of force in both camps
must be humbled before a better day
dawns. While this process is not going
on so as to show strong in the current
of the surface, it is there, and it is ger
minating in the minds of both employer
and employee. The partnership idea
between capital and labor has already
led to the organization of the two sides
of the partnership into closer under
standing of the mutually of the rela-
ton of the two agencies of industry.
The attempts at this method of pre-
venting clash, adjusting differences and
promoting stability have been of an ex-
detrimental nature. But their results
have proven the soundness of the idea.
The Leitch plan, the Hart Schaffner
and Marx plan, the Filene plan, also
the John D. Rockefeller Jr. plan are
examples of the new method. The very
fact that in the miners national strike
today, efforts along the same line, both
in the field and by the national govern
ment, are acting as a shock absorber,
point to the approval of the new meth
cd, and the dislike of both sides to the
controversy of the old method of force
and retaliation. This is the way which
best harmonizes with the underlying
principles of our national life as it has
been worked out under the guidance of
our doctrines of democracy. Freedom
and equality stand for the square
deal" both in our political and our eco
nomic life. Glass interest and class
rule are hostile to democracy. And as
long as the great majority of the Amer
lean people remains loyal to the prin-
ciples upon which our national life,
rests, we have the best reason in the
world for believing that our troubles in
the industrial field will be taken out of
the arena of force and placed before
the tribunal of 'sthe square deal. Or
ganization for the purpose of subvert
ing this proposition is not consistent
with the spirit of true Americanism
and is inimical to our institutions.
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