Omaha daily bee., 1919-12-04
The Miners and the People
From the S. Louis Globe Democrat.

From the St. Louis Globe Democrat
The refusal Of the officials of the mine work
ers to accept the proposal of the government
places the issue squareiy before the miners
lively, decide to return to work, definite action
to relieve the situation, both by state and fed
eral authorities will be imperative. The re-
serves of coal are being rapidly exhausted
The first pains of swiftly approaching disaster
are already being felt. Many industries are
being put on short time or closed down, throw
ing the employees out of work. The number of
these will increase in geometrcal ratio as each
day goes by. Extraordinary measures for con-
serving the fuel now on hand are being applied
in some cities and must extend to all. These
measures will. OF necessity, increase in severity
a. the stocks are exhausted. Some coal is being
mined, to be sure, but not enough to save us
from widespread disaster and distress And it
should be understood that the great financial
loss from this condition falls with heaviest
weight upon wage-workers, while the physical
suffering it must involve il continued will fall
virtually upon the whole population. The pro-
lection of the people is the cfref purpose Of
government, and our representative democratic
government is failure if it cannot find means
to cope with such situation as this which so
gravely menaces all
Technically there is no coal strike. In obedi-
ence to the order of court the call for the strike
was withdrawn and cancelled But actually the
strike continues, with no material abatement
proving convincngy their general support Of
the demands of their representatives formulated
at the Cleveland convention. That the claims
Of the miners entitled to consideration is
not to be questioned. That measures should
be taken for their relief cannot be fairly denied
But the elemental instincts of self-preservation
in nation demand that no body of men be per-
mitted for their own advantage to put a stop
to the industries Of country and inhict loss
and suffering upon whole people. By insist
o,,rh ia * xl,os~
claims will be overwhelmed by public indigna-
ton. The fact cannot be forgotten that the rep
resentatives of the miners refused to consent to
the presidents proposal in October to continue
operation of mines pending negotiations and to
submit to arbitration matters upon which the
operators and miners were unable to agree.
This appealed to the people as fair PROPOSE
ton, and it was mistake, from the miners as
well as from the public standpoint, not to accept
it. And now they have refused to accept the
wages and the creation Of body to ascertain
the facts in the situation and to influence the
adjustment of wages and Of labor conditions to
fair standard. The operators agreed to both
proposals, and after the failure Of the last one
offered again to submit the matter to arbitra-
ton, which was again refused. Whatever may
be the facts as to the past or present profits
OF the operators, the governments proposal
would have set in operation the means Of find
ing out the facts, definitely and officially, and
d
ment upon the facts, which is not possible now,
nor cannot be without such information.
The miners, as men and as Americans. should
consider all the circumstances of this situation
very seriously. They have put themselves in
position-and we say this without any reflection
upon the merits of their claims for better con-
ditions-that must compel the authorities to
take action in the public defense. Fuel is an
absolute necessity to our existence, and some
how or other it must be obtained. The longer
essential supplies of coal are deferred, the more
acute will be the suffering Of the public, and
the greater the public indignation against the
cause of the distress. The miners cannot ad-
vance their cause by refusing to work. Every
day will further ALLEVIATE public sympathy. Every
day will make more difficult the unprejudced
consideration of the rights Of the miners On
the other hand, immediate resumption of work
would allay public feeling, would check the very
great and grave disaster now breaking upon us,
and would make it possible to have fair and
impartial inquiry made of the whole situation,
and to provide the means for such an adjust
ment of wages, hours, continuity and other con-
ditions OF labor as to satisfy the just require
ments of the mine workers. The present re-
sponsbity rests wholly upon the miners. They
alone can Immediately restore production. If
they refuse there can be no choice on the part
of state and national authorities; for willy nilly
the country must have coal