The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-09-21

agreement the union is treating this contract
scrap paper" and insists that the wage shall
work Saturdays Sundays Their demands as
working conditions would practically deprive the
master painters Of the control of their ships and
vest it in representatives of the union
This is not isolated instance of the unreason-
able demands of labor. Similar conditions are to
be found all the country. The question that
naturally arises is How labor, drasticaiiy and
speedily be taught that 1t viii absolutely lose the
and support OF the very element 1t looks to
for encouragement if it continues
tagonisc to all the principles it will be
to employ If speedily to return normal
conditions?"
Restating, economic truth, the necessity for
increased and uninterrupted production neces
sary condition in the reduction the high cost of
living. will it not appear that presents
ample OF a group, blindly seeking to accomplish
it's own destruction? II labor continues to regard
with indifference the obligations contracts
EMMY entered into is there introduced ele
ment that will prevent the existence claims that
are based such utter disregard of moral and
legal obligations?
In public statement issued by President Wilson
with reference to the present economic condition.
he stated: Only by keeping the of production
on its present level by increasing production and
by rigid economy and saving the part of the
people can we hope for large decreases in the bur-
densome. cost Of living which weighs down."
|. ANY substantial increase in wages in lead
ing lines of industry at this would utterly
crush the general campaign which the government
Is Waging with energy, vgor and substantial hope
OF success to reduce the high cost of living"
1t will be well for labor to seriously ponder the
| significance Of opinion from SO high source
and one that will be well able to influence the
action of the government in these matters
| AS in marked contract the general attitude of
labor all over the country there noted with
| measure of approval that the representatives of
thirty thousand employees OF the Midvale Steel and
ordnance Company and its subsidiary companies, in
ssion at Atlantic City, recently passed resolutions
opposing further demands for higher wages and
shorter hours uneconomic and unwise This ac-
tion it is stated. taken entirely on
tive of the workmen and without the knowledge of
the Midvale officials.
so excellent an example generally follow
Gu win 90 more to restore a pre-war status than
any amount of mandatory legislation on the part
OF the federal government could accomplish.
/ Encouraged by the example of the Midyale Steel
ana ordnance Company employees, and further n
couraged to learn that a committee on the cost OF
living of the New York State Federation of Labor
had decided in favor of months strike truce
it is regrettabie that there not, as far as til
Federation OF Labor Is involved any sound basis ror
citation.
/ The chairman of the American Labor party now
organization will have nothing do with any anti
strike program and will positively not agree te
any curtailment of its activities it's de-
mands.
i While this is merely an expression of .,,snon a
relating to but state, 1t may be fairly assurnel
that similar attitude toward the dise -,inuance
Oh strikes during the period in which the govern,
ment will be working a legislative program
VIII be followed by a majority of states
With cessation of strikes and a general re
sumption of production in essential lines of manu-
facture, there would have been afforded an oppor
tunity practically to demonstrates and especially
labor, that prime factor reduction of Twins
costs was in the uninterrupted progress of all on
manufactures and in every department buildn,
construction.
If in view of stubborn refusal to realize tbes
Things as the main element in solution of on
economic problems, labor find it suffers from
reacton OF popular sentiment, !. will have only I,
blame the unwisdom of its leaders who have utter
failed to read the signs of the times with ordnar
, perception.