New-York tribune., 1919-10-14
DIR. Butler Sees
Blow to L. s.
In Steel Strike
Columbia President Accuses
Foster and Fitzgerald of
Plan Against Principles
of Federal Government
Talks of Anarchy Chance
If Reason Fails, Force Fol
lows; Public Servants
Strikes |.Like Treason"

Anarchy will supplant order unless
the rule of reason replaces the strike
in the adjustment of labor disputes,
DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler declared
in an address last night at the tenth an
nual opening exercises of the institute
Of Arts and Sciences Of Columbia Uni
versity.
The strike as a weapon of indus
trial warfare. he said, "ought in time
and the Big Bertha" The trend of the
times, DR.. Butler added, made immi
nent the question: "Is the American
form of government to commit sui
cide?'
"The strike in the steel industry"
he said. ais convincing example OF
how not to deal with the labor prob
lem.
'The ultimatums issued by Mr.. Fitz-
patrick and Mr.. Foster were not a
sincere and necessary step toward i'm
proving the condition Of the wage
workers in the steel industry, but were
part of a new, carefully thought out
and thoroughly planned attack upon
the principles upon which the Amer
ican people have rested their govern
ment, their civilization and their life.
The very principles for which we have
been fighting on so huge scale with
military weapons are now at stake in
the contest to be waged with economic
forces and with ideas. Industrial wars
can do quite as much damage as in
ternational wars. In the field of in
dustry, as in the field of international
ambition, might can only be dispos-
sessed if right be called in to take its
place. Unless justice can rule, force
must control.
$50 long as we speak of capital and
labor as distractions, struggling in
some invisible way over the division
of the products of industry we not
only get nowhere, but we assist actively
in spreading wholly false economic
views. We give ground for the no
tion, very widespread among wage
workers but utterly false, that the less
work they do in given time for a
given Wage the better for themselves
and for their group. Under such a
theory e.cn increase in wages must di-
rectly increase the cost of living for
every one. IN this way there is quickly
established an endless chain of eco
nomic fallac;es that will in time bring
disastes to any industry or any people.
Interests Are Same
"Persors otherwise intelligent go
about the country telling US that it ia
mere hypocrisy 70 say that the in
terests OF employer and employed are
the same On the contrary, it is mere
ignorance to say they are rot the same.
"lf we are not to use or are not to
be permitted 10 use the methods OF
reasonab,eness in dealing with these
problems, then we must be prepared for
the use of force. This alternative is
shocking. 1t would mean nothing less
than the substitution of anarchy for
order, Of physical power for justice
and Of a perpetual struggle between
changing and conflicting interests for
the calm and temperate discussion OF
principles.
"The strike is ct best not method
OF reasonableness, but weapon of in
dustrial war, and it ought in time to
become obsolete with the submarine
and the Big Bertha.
"The state is SO busy doing things
for particular interests and groups that
it is neglecting the protection of its
own life. 1t would be an odd by-product
of social and industrial change if state
suicide we're to be one of its results
"The possibility Of this has just now
been brought home to o5servant Ameri-
cans by the police strike in Boston.
IA strike of public servant is q
direct assault on the whole community
and is nothing less than mild form
mild. If public servants were to use
the strike as mode Of enforcing theil
requests or demands, then the Ameri
can form of government would have
come to an end. Neither justice no
liberty would longer be possible, and il
their stead we should have disturbed
end hectic rule by quickly succeedin,
minority groups, the result Of whicl
would be anarchy
I'VE must shun and take active step
to limit the influence of those VIII
fcment unrest and organize Industrial
war and who thrive upon this process
These are public enemies and the hand
workers meanest friends. From tn
very active company OF those who woul
not hesitate to tear down or to over
throw the government of the Unite
6tates in order to attain their irnme
diate persona! or group ends there ha
not come q single suggestion whic
does not spell destruction. Not one o
those who claim to represent thes
movements and tendencies has propose
to build up anything. They are all ben
upon destruction IN the wild hope tina
after their joy IN tearing down has ha
full satisfaction somewhere and some
how personal advantage may accrue t
them. In the process they would no
hesitate to destroy America"