The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-23
THE STEEL STRIKE

The strike among the stcclworkcrs. and chiefly those en-
ploycd by the United States Steel corporation, Is making little
progress toward settlement. 1t is one OF the greatest industrial
Fonvulsons since the Southwestern railroad strike, and its tremof
is being felt throughout all industrial activities. 1t IS caused
and continued by one man. Judge Ebert H. Gary, chairman OF
the organization. Gary is a great lawyer and a man OF much
force of character. Neither he nor his corporation believe in Or
gained labor. and he refuses to recognize the StcelWorkers
union or deal with its representatives. He is not entirely happy
in some OF his arguments. He opposes union labor because he
wants the man who belongs to no union to have a chance to
work and make a living. Net he is the head OF a union OF l9
seclworking plants that were bludgeoned into Jon'ng to escape
destruction. The men want the right OF collective bargaining,
which can be done only through a union. Gary refuses to re
ceWe any representative unless he is employed by the company,
maintaining that the men require no skilled and trained repre-
sentative, but should each speak and act for himself. Meantime
his corporation or union employs scores and scores OF lawyers
TO do the talking for it. The individual would stand a poor show
in dealing with this great corporation unless backed by thousands
OF his fellow Workmcn, and unless represented by men trained
in the art Of discussion and debate. The individual can be sent
about his business and the matter ended so far as he is concerned,
but when he represents an organization the case is different, and
this is what Judge Gary seeks to avoid by trying to prevent and de-
suoy labor unions. Congress is going to probe the matter, Con
grcss is famous on probing, but probing does not seem to get
anywhere.
Meantime, idlcncss, loss of wages and consequent suffering
are making Of the workingmcn plastic material for the !. W., w.
and the Bolshcvist propagandist to work on, Already there has
been riot and bloodshed and loss Of life, and the worst may be yet
10 come. Naturally, some OF the laborng men, being goaded to
desperation, indulge in cxtravagant language which is not lost
on their fellow workmcn, and the seed thus sown may bear evil
fruit. Most of the newspapers of the country, even those classcd
as plutocratc in tendency, condemn Judge Gary Tor bringing
about industrial turmoil and disorder at THIS time, when pro-
ducton in all lines is so necessary to this country and to the
world. The Chicago Tribune says: "The American people have
before them one Of the most important issues they have ever had
TO lace, and the decision OF which means a choice between the
American system and the Russian systen-individual liberty or
the dictatorship of the proeariat' There is entirely too much
talk of the laboring and producing masses taking over this or
that industry. or socializing this or that a~ctvhy-such ideas grow
and multiply. There should be some way Of settling these dis
putes, and if one man is the cause he should be set aside and the
government take the matter i'll hand. Nearly everything depends
more or less on the steel industry. These basic industries cannot
be interrupted without interfering with the entire industrial sys-
TEN. The world must have steel, as this may be called the steel
eNe, both in war and peace.