The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1919-12-25
HISTORY AND A WARNING.

The coal strike appears to be over for
the presently. A truce has been agreed
upon but treaty of peace has not been
signed or even considered Nothing is
settled, If we credit the inspired dis
patches, the President has thanked the
strike leaders for their patriotism and
for postponing their plan for holding up
the industries of the country and Incl
dentally freezing and starving the public
into subsection. The agitators have in
turn, told the President how profoundly
impressed" the miners have been by his
Assurances" Atty. Gen. Palmer has
arisen to tell US what ''T'' did in arrang-
ing the truce. Mr.. Garfield has resigned
as Fuel Administrator because ne says he
considers the truce as being ''contrary to
the fundamental principles of govern
ment - The Secretary of Labor, Mr..
William B. Wilson, was delegated by the
administrator to represent it in the first
conference which was held, Mr.. Wilson
went to work in coal mine in Pennsyl-
vania when he was nine years old, and
before he was IL years old became half
member of the Mine Workers Union.
From early boyhood he has been active
in trade union affairs, and from 1900
to 1908 was international secretary
general of the United Mine Workers
of America. Here was a man who was,
by experience, or at least ought to
have been competent to deal wisely
and rightly with the matters given him
in charge. But, schooled and ground
ed in opposition to the operators,
regarding the rights of the public as neg
ligible and being in full sympathy with
his affiliated brethren he failed to recog-
nize any interests except theirs. Figures
which have heen officially given out in
Congress show that the average wages
of able coal miners were 81, 500 a year
This is far from icing a pittance, but
Secretary Wilson offered an increase of
$40 per cent, which would raise the
wages to a little more I'll 81, $50 year.
VII w 4lSOn NdS ldlItU lllIO lGtlI
behind the curtain with commendable
promptness, and Prof. Garfield appeared
for the administra ton, repudiated Mr..
Wilson 5 offer anC offered instead IA
per cent advance This offer was reject
ed and deadlock followed. President
Wilson then offered his assurances"
which said that he would appoins rep
resentarive of the miners, a representa-
tive OF the operators and a representative
Of the public, two wolves and lamb?
to another conference where treaty of
eternal peace might be formulated The
miners accepted the IA per cent and the
assurances and went to work. This per-
Torrance from beginning to end seems
somewhat farcical but we should not
forget that President Wilson in this mat
ter lad to 90 one of two things. He
mus. fight the strike TO a finish or he
must compromise, obtaining the best
terms possible. In view of the fact that
a fight would paralyze business and cause
untolQ suffering from cold and hunger, he
chose the pacific and humane course. He
faced the same alternative in the strike
Of the railroad brotherhood. In both of
these strlkes this great country of ours
was compelled to ko-tow to labor union.
Already railroad union is threatening
to make the United States government
again get down on its marrow bones and
thump its forehead on the ground, and
we have no doubt that within the next
year we shall be called upon to again
PROSTATE ourselves before the walking
delegates of the coal miners union.
Labor unions have done much good, they
have host of honest and patriotic men
in their membership. But when any
band of men, it matters not whether
union men or Bolshevists, boldly dictates
and enforces terms to national govern
ment, that government may parley, it
may choose the battle-ground and the day
of battle, but soon or late it must fight
and fight for its life.
Mr. Herbert Hoover recently said: 'In
this country illiteracy is so uncommon
that we need have little fear of Bolshe-
vism ever gaining ground" If Mr..
Hoover will take the trouble to inform
himself he will discover that Bolshevism
has been gaining ground for some time,
that it is gaining ground every day and
that nothing effective is being done to
prevent it's further advance
. Steve Andreas, John Zouishgzki, Joe
D. -wzaschitz and John Borneski under
to rob bank in Ohio few days