Omaha daily bee., 1919-10-30
Suggests q Remedy.

York, Neb, Oct. 27.-To the edi-
tor Of the Bee: What are we going
to do in a few years more if things
continue to drift as they have been
drifting for the last few years? We
used to hear about the classes and
the masses that were being formed
in this country, by legislation and
business practices, that were I'M
American and unfair. And now the
same crowd and their heirs in the
political fields of action are doing
more in one year to create those very
things than any 20 years of which
they complained. I'VE could name a
long, yes, very long list of acts,
but wish to ask space for just a
couple.
One was that Adamson law. And
then the order that the building Of
the environments was to be done by
union labor. Now, that was as I'M
fair and unjust as it could be. 1
am not opposed to labor uniting for
mutual benefit, If it stops there, but
.when it demands the right to run
the plant, to say who shall work
and when, that is going too far to be
right. And when the government
picks cut a class and says, You
can work for the government
whether you are competent or not,
but your brother can not, regardless
of how efficient he may be" (for
that is just what 1t means, when the
government or an individual recog-
nizes the union), that is not gov
eminent of the people, but of a class,
by a class and for a class. And
there can be nothing just in any such
conditions.
And the trouble we are up against
at this time is the natural outcome
of such unbalanced leanings. The
reports say the present scale was
agreed to last year to run two years,
or until next April, but here we find
them making scrap of paper" out
of that contract made between them
the operators and the govern
ment's mediation board. If that be
true, why can not the government
say, Here, boys, now you make good
on your signed contract or you will
be in contempt of the government
and subject to punishment for such
offense."
Now, telling them it Is unlawful to
violate that contract Is not enough,
as shown by their disregard of the
presidents appeal. But the time is
at hand for an answer with pep
enough in it to make them sit up
and rub their eyes open enough that
they can see where they are. With
duty at one end and the pen at the
other end of their flank, and then
tell them to take their choice. but
walk, and do it now. We might add
that is an earnest of a league OF
nations or any other league. when
ever the gains to be had by disre-
carding the right Of contract are
valued higher than they value their
honor, they will make a scrap OF
paper of any contract drawn and
signed. Take, for example, the
Johnstown flood, the Galveston tidal
wave, the San Francisco earthquake.
the Omaha tornado, and lot OF
other calamities, where the govern
ment had to establish martial law IN
order to protect the helpless from
the human wolves. Yes. from
wolves that know it is against the
law to do so. But they want to get
something worse than they want to
obev the law. Such was the case
at Omaha's riot-every one of those
roughnecks knew that robbery, ARISEN
and murder were all forbidden by
law. Did they care? Look at their
records. And no law will change
human nature. If you can show me
one. point 1t out before I go hence.
FRANKLIN POPE.