The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-11-11
FIND THE rRuE REMEnY.


correct diagnosis Of the trouble before attempting
apply remedy This is especially true if the remedy
to be used is of the "kiIl or cure" nature Nobod
knows how many thousands of lives have been GU
short because of faulty diagnosis and application of tn
wrong remedies This rule of primary accurate dag
noss has been ignored in the attempt to settle the Goa
mining troubles by the xii" cure" method of strike
Very few of the people who being made to sufe
because of the reckless understand what is the rea
disease for which sought by that heroic method
Indeed probably few of the miners themselves understand
the situation in full All they know is that the,
are not getting much money they need for gooc
living and the natural remedy for that condition to he
minds is larger daily wage. They not to be blamed
for assuming that to be the remedy That is the first
and natural impulse of every person. What they
rightly condemned for is the method they have chosen
that end and for the sehness of such act
for their disregard of the humanies and of the welfare
of the country and their ellowworkers in other employ
ments such an act indicates.
In his statement in which he seeks to justify the strk
ing miners Samuel Gompers clearly but unintenonally
shows that the strike and the higher wage demand
not
says the working days of the miners Average only from
1900 to $50 days year and that the specification of
five days week in their demand means, not reduction
to five days but an increase from only three days. the
present average to FIVE If this be true it follows
that fve-day schedule, fully carried out with an
eghthour day instead of the six demanded there would
be an increase of production instead of decrease there
would be considerable increase of to the miners and
there would be lowering of the price of coal to the
because OF the greater supply If this is the true
situation it follows that the remedy not more money
for days work, but days of work. More money
per day. with the same number Of days, would
increase in the price of coal to the consumer but
days work for the miner at the present daily wage would
mean more money for the miner well as larger pro-
ducton and cheaper COAL That is exactly what the
try needs Therefore, that is the true remedy for the
evil which now exists Of low earnings for the miner and
high coal for the consumer.
Who is to blame for this lack of steady employment
for the miners only searching investigation, made by
intelligent but nonnterested persons reveal Miners
that operate their mines only half time
in order restrict production and keep up the price
They willing to work half time if they are paid full
time wages for it, but clearly that is fair to the
public The operators deny they purposely keep miners
on short time either to restrict production to hold
arge force of miners available for large periodical pro-
lucton They that the failure of the railroads
TO keep the mines supplied with sufficient number of
ears is of the miners being laid off much.
Another they give that during the spring and
summer the demand is email because consumers will not
ay in winter stocks until winter approaches
Here is something tangible for the public to take hold
,f Coal production should be made continuous instead
If seasonal Every head of house using fuel should
ay in his supply during the dull season of the spring
md summer and there should be sufficient price reduc
ion to encourage him to do That would help keep
than industrial, therefore, every person corpora
ion using coal for power purposes should also lay in
age supply and keep it stored against the greater de-
nand of winter. There should be sufficient price diff
induce this and to offset any possible deterior
on in quality from storage Also the railroads, soon
be again in private hands, should encourage coal pro-
ucton themselves by storing large quantities and byI
eeng that every idle placed in the coal carryng
usiness lack of being constant complaint. The
interstate Commerce Commission might help by making
pecia coal for the dull when idle
all this were DONE and perhaps, other things al
borough investigation would reveal be necessary there
houd be large increase production, miners be given
ul time and thus sufficient wage without much,
any, increase in daily pay What is first needed is
diagnosis of the trouble and then the application
f permanent remedy To make this diagnosis we
houd first go back to the status quo ante, with the
miners at work and the homes and industries of the