The Washington times., 1919-09-23
STRIKE FAILS
OCAJSESTIR
IN THIS CITY

Il may seem curious fact, but Il
IS nevertheless q fact that official
Waahihgton e. less concerned about
the great steel strike which began
yestorday than about any domestic
upheaval Of national proportions IN
many years, says J. Fred EGsahy IN
teday's Baltimore sun.
In ordinary situations Of thi8~soFt,
be continues, the admiHiGtratioh et
this hour would be working frantie9l-
ly Ga q desperate effort 70 save the
country from an industrial disaster,
and az the forces OF tie feoeF1l
Government would be concentrated
uPQn the conflicting elomsnta' try
ing % bring them t0EetheF In some
cert Of q cDmpFOmise.
IL iG easy % recall that when the
brotherhood strike on the railroads
inBended Just before the war WASH
ingtOn was Ga d near panic for days
ond weeks; that the Government
cropped oonGiderntiOn Of all else IN
order 70 intervene, ana Congress it.
self passed q law dictated by the
Brotherhood officers fixing the eight
heur day aG the basis OF all working
tine upoH American railroads.
IneFtia Causes FoadoE,
Although the steel strike is net as
vital as q general railroad strike
weuld Be, d is conceivable that the
suaRCnsieH OF the steel mile OF the
c0uRtFy-even those OF the United
States steel CorpoFatfoH-fo any
long beFiod Of time, might plunge
tie natlou into Q chaotic state from
a purely Industrial standpoint. There
So scarcely q line Of business on the
continent that would not be aneGted
directly Or Indirectly.
It may Be q matter of some WondeT,
therefore, why al such a time as this
the President is iu the Far West
making league Of nations speeches.
lhe Cabinet is not sitting and no
membeFg Of that body are making
any particular effort to avert the
troubles which are ahead CongFeas
has sheWn but little interest in the
matter, but immediate Investigation
BY the senate Labor Committee Of
the steel workers strike is proposed
in a resolution BY Senator Kenyon.
For Fight 20 FlniHh.
The general attitude IN washing
ton today seems TO be that this clash
between the employer and employe in
the steel industry IS inevitable and
that now @ as COED a time as any Tor
the two great f9Fces 70 lEht the thing
cut The issue must be met and Is
nov being met and, ss Washington
views the matter IL ig up 20 those
whose fortunes are most Immediately
aheeted 20 50 20 the mat without In
teFfeFenee from any source.
And this iG exactly what has hap
peued. The steel mill owners and
their employees have now locked I
horns in a great contest For q while /
the President hoped that by inteFvens
ilr BE might pave the way fHezan ads
jnftment of the difficulties. But more /
rGehnEY it is evident that he gave /
the JOB up. At all events he did not /
feel iuEtihed in postponing his speak |
inr trip. because OF the threatened /
laheF troubles
ne must have known what was com 4
inE Tor his Information came from the /
best possible sources. And he must |
have realized what losses would ensue |
if q strike developed. And the fact /
that he gave up the case and left /
tGUn 20 hght for hiE peace treaty, /
even while the strike clouds were |
gathering overhead, shows that he /
felt the futilify Of intervening further |
in the situation.