The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-05-10

THE RICHMOND PAILADIu
ficial effect. But it should be more genearlIy
noted and appreciated, and the example should be
accepted by the representatives of Capital and
government For these disorders involve contra
dictions that require to be harmonized It may
suffice for time to put away the agitators with
the declaration that they don't konw what they
want" But the answer is becoming palmer.
And meanwhile, some good may result from a
serious effort to discover why, in country that
is politically governed Labor insists that it is
bound to control and yet persists that it must
stay out of politics; why, in country where the
rights of free speech and free press are held to
be fundamental to free government, those rights
are invoked for speeches that would assail and
break down the government; why, in day and
generation when all activities and purposes are
tending toward organization the radical effort to
"organize" proceeds by the method of disoragn-
izing; in short, why, in a country and under a
form of government that is preeminent in pur-
posing and promoting peace. the ultra-radical
groups have aroused war sentiment by urging
pacificism and are pretending to seek industrial
peace by exciting social war.
It might be easy for the dominant social
groups represented by Capital and for the NOM
ent by the government, to meet these contradic-
lions by picking up the gage of battle. Yet that
would be to discard the lessons of the great polt
ical conflict that has just been fought to its
finish. Better than that it will be to accept the
lesson of the effort now being completed to es-
tablish and perpetuate political peace, by provid-
ing for such understanding as shall remove
the causes of war. What is most in demand by
those who consider themselves oppressed by
world conditions of today is first and foremost
the opportunity to explain their grievances, to
be heard, in such place or manner that the evils
of the situation shall be corrected. And already
there are indications that this demand is about
to be met 1t is being more and more generally
recognized that the motive of private gain as
basis and incentive for industry must be super
seeded by the motive of public service if the de-
mocracy now widely heralded is to insure to
all the right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness. It is being gradually comprehended
that proetarian autocracy is, after all, no
nearer justice than an autocracy of capitalists.
It is being discerned that the right conditions are
pointed by the dictum, Each for all and all for
EACH" And So in the midst of disorders and con-
tradctions, whether of ultra-radcals or conserva-
tives, there is coming into view an organized eff
fort to extend the idea of the industrial confer
ence, wherein workers shall come face to face
with employers, operators of machinery shall
meet in common discussion with the owners of
it. laborers talk with directors, to the end that
all shall understand one another. Results al
ready achieved by this method, as indicated by
the operation of the Whitley Joint Industrial
Boards set up in Great Britain, point to this way
as the way of intelligence. It is giving industrial
workers voice and a hearing and it is meeting
their needs. BY providing a practical way out of
social inequities it is leading to social justice.
And although the social order should unquestion-
ably protect itself against the evils of May Day
riots, it should press forward on the way toward
the better understanding that will remove their
causes.