The Washington times., 1919-01-20

To Rule Air Waves.
Interesting German Idea.
Labor Unrest.
Five Months Idle, No Wont
By ARTHUR BRISBANE.
Copyright, lsIs.)

n committee or patrlo1c Eng
Gshmen, headed by Lord North
cliffe decide that England must
rule all the waves-air waves
and water waves. Reviewing
Great Britain's air craft program,
the committee reports:
1. Cost what il may, this coun-
try Great BRITAIN must lead the
world in civil aerial transporta-
ton.
2. The state must have a reser-
yOir of aerial power capable Of
meeting q sudden demand for eX-
pansion Of the naval and military
air forces.
The British look far ahead. They
know that fleets on the water
must become every year less i'm
portant as the flying machine de-
velops. The real ocean now is the
air. To be an island no longer
means safety from attack unless
you control air as well as water.
With what admirable promptness
the British act With what frank
ness they announce their plans.
Bernard Shaw, in his remarkable
article just published, says bluntly:
IF the United States builds a
thousand new battleships, England
will build two thousand five hun
dred new 0nes!7
1t is to be hoped that such ruin
Gus competition in battleship
building will not start Also the
aeroplane being an American in
vention, it is to be hoped that the
United States will be allowed to
rule the air-at least above and
near this continent.
Situations change rapidly in
these days. Ebert, the harness.
maker, successor to William Ho-
henzollern in Germany, suggests
that the allies, America, AND
GERMANY unite to fight and sub
due the Russian terrorists. And
the suggestion is taken seriously.
And the addition Of Germany to
the Peace League Of Nations, af-
ter a reasonable period of proba-
ton, is suggested by the allies.
They think perhaps that having
suppressed and shot to pieces their
local Bolshevism, and being about
to start a German Republic and
inaugurate a President for a ten
year term, the Germans have a
strong local interest in peace, at
least until they get their republic
well under way.
Who would have thought last
September that this January would
see German Republic saying TO
the allies, "Come and help us
light Russian anarchy"
In England not employers only,
but wise labor leaders, are dis
turbed by "labor unrest"
Labor leaders as we'll as en-
ployers should fight unnecessary
disturbances and strikes in this
country, also difficulties should be
arranged with reasoning and con-
cessions on both sides. The whole
world is crippled, and much of il
Is crazy, which makes a bad COM
bInation.
In New York city, for instance
thirty-fye thousand garment
workers declare a strike, and the
fundamental trouble is manufac-
turers, jobbers, buyers, and re-
tailers carry on business in such
q way as to crowd a whole wears
work into seven months of en-
ployment.
Every year the workers are
idle five months. And, of course.
they must earn enough in seven
months to live through the five
months.
The workers ask forty-two
hours work a week, they say, "to
make the period of employment
longer" The manufacturers re-
ply, 1--WE shall put in more ma
chimes, hire more operators. ard
do the work in seven months,
anyhow"
The manufacturers are forced
TO this by lack of common-sense
arrangements that could be made
II the retailers, manufacturers.
and buyers could combine.
The employers foolishiy write
to the mayor of New York, in
substance as follows "Our
workers are red-flag socialists,
the kind you hate. You ought to
help US control them"
A foolish taunt. The workers
might we'll reply: "If YOU were
idle and hard up five months of
every year, with nothing to do
but talk over your grievance.
you might be restless also"
Could not garment makers find
other work for five months of the
year? No, they couldn't. You
cant shift suddenly from running
an electric sewing machine to dig
ging a ditch. And you couIdn' I
find this job if you could stand the
work.
Couldn't the Government inter.
est itself in the problem and give
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