Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-08-29
A POOR TIME TO STRIKE.


II was solomon who said: "Ti
everything there is a season, a time
TO weep and a time TO laugh, time
10 plant and q time to pluck, a time
TO break down and a time to build
up." There may be time to a strike,
but it is not now.
But if striking, or threat of striking
every time a demand for an increase
in wages is not met, is to continue,
the only possible remedy is to let the
strike come. For such condition, as
now threatens, We are just as well able
to stand it as we may hope TO be at
any time in the future. OF course,
all will be hurt by it, if it comes,
and some will be ruined But the
ruin of some is not so bad as the
ruin of all-certain to occur if the
present tendency is unchecked.
We have reached a condition where
the railroad unions do not obey their
own officers or observe their written
contracts, That is what their officers
say vi them.
President Wilson is regarded by
the labor leaders as its friend. No
other man. if we may except Colonel
House, has had so much influence
with the president as Samuel Comp
ers. 1t is doubtful if Mr.. Gompers
ever made request at the White
House was not granted promptly if
Mr. Wilson had the power to grant it.
But President wilson, in his adj
dress on the cost of living. said that
strikes undertaken at this critical
hour are certain to make matters
worse, not better-worse for the strik-
ers themselves and worse for every
body else.
All classes have an equal right to
promote their economic interests
fairly, but no class has a right to harm
all classes, including itself, by a pro-
ciples of economies. There is so much
human nature in all of us that it is
small reproach to call such policy
selfish But it is surely a very short
sighted policy under present condi.
tions.
This is the poorest possible time
for the striker, if he IS looking for
success. Probably it is the best pos
sible time for capital to meet the
issue, if issue there must be. Capital
has no competition from abroad and
will have little for some years. But
it would be an exceedingly bad time
for all the world, if American in.
dustres should be paralyzed just now
The world has been passing through
its season of tearing down and uproot-
ing. Every war necessarily involves
destruction and the late war which
comprised the whole world brought
far greater loss, even in proportion to
conditions, than the world ever sus-
tanned before.
Now comes the time to rebuild, to
stick to the job, even if conditions do
not exactly suit. OF course, there will
have to come much industrial re
adjustment. But just at the present
the supreme demand is for increased
production, if the world is to be fed
and clothed. Wise labor leaders rec
ognize this and are exerting their in
fluence for a patriotism that shall
prove its loyalty in the critical hours
of reconstruction. as it did so nobly
in the war crisis.
The men who have really led labor
to all of its victories, know this is not
the time to strike, if labor is even 20
retain what it has gained since 1914
Certainly it can get no new advantage
by further limiting production and
thus adding to the already far toe
high cost of living. That is what any
curtailment of production. or of the
machinery of distribution is sure to
do-make the cost of living higher and
reduce the ability of the employer TO
pay wages. 1t would mean hungry
bellies for some millions of people
who are now we'll fed, even if the
cost Of food is high.
-
BAR THE BRIDES.