The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1919-09-26
Fighting Partners.

Apparently wise counsel goes for
nothing in the controversy between
the labor unions and the steel COM
lpanies. There is to be a struggle
OF endurance and probably of brute
force-an industrial war-at a time
when neither side can afford to waste
itself and when the country and the
world need all the steel that can be
produced.
Assuming that there will be
war in the steel industry, what will
happen? No one can foretell. An
industrial war is nearly as uncer-
tain as an International war. 1t
may begin with threats and Sc
eret desire for compromise. and it
may end with the ruin of all con-
cerned. The classic example for
all time will be Germany. That
nation thought it could accomplish
certain ends by quick. hard war
1t struck, and the war took on one
surprising turn after another, end
ing In German defeat and humilia-
| ton so profund that mankind will
tell of it for thousand years to
come.
A strike in an industry underly-
ing the nations activity is an ex-
| tremely dangerous proceeding. The
persons who order the strike are not
responsible for the damage that en-
sues Who will collect from the
labor leaders the damages due to
the families of strikers? Those
families will suffer hunger and may
be thrown out of their homes be-
| fore winter passes Is the nation
to assume the burden of relief?
Are individual citizens who have
pinched themselves in war contri-
buttons now to be asked to pay for
the damage caused by irresponsible
| employers and equally irresponsi-
| BILE labor leaders, who arrogantly
condemn others to suffer without
suffering themselves? The public
will not be an eager contributor to
strike relief funds, however deeply
it may sympathize with the inno-
cent victims of the strike
Each side seems to think this is
an advantageous time in which to
make test of strength. The labor
leaders assume that the public dis
content is the forerunner of a change
in the industrial system. The steel
directors believe they can break
down unionism by making a finish
fight. We think they are both
wrong We do not believe the es-
tablished system of voluntary SER
vice for acceptable pay will be re-
placed by a system giving the labor |
er control of the business. Nor do |
we believe that organized or I'M
ionized labor can be or should be |
| broken down. The workers have a |
right to organize, and so have the
employers. The more thoroughly |
each side is organized the better |
1t is lack of complete organization
| that enables agitators to thrive and |
strikes to work havoc.
With both sides fully organized,
there would be cooperation and im-
mense production, resulting in
steady employment, good pay. low
er prices and good dividends based
upon enormous sales and not upon
excessive profits. When complete
organization comes, there will IN
doubtedly be a systematic partiei-
patton by labor in the ownership
and direction of industry. Every
worker would be shareholder and
workers would elect their represen-
tatiyes in boards of directors. Since
capital is stored-up labor and labor
~is capital modified, they will ulti-
mately be partners in all their ac-
tivities. They are partners now, {
but they are not wise enough to get
along without quarreling and at
tempting to overreach each other
Washington Post.