Norwich bulletin., 1919-09-24
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Action and Reaction.

MT. Editor: All systems of rational education teach the axiom. Action and the social order as in nature. Even high school students will recall the pAo oblem of the angles followed by the billiard ball when shot to carom from the cushion. Theoretically the ball would rebound at the same angle as it strikes, and return to place of start ing. But practically it's course is varied by the quality of the cushion and other conditions of friction, so that it will not rebound to preciseIy same angle, nor return to place of starting. There fore it becomes necessary to study the quality of the, cushion and to supply certain clements or conditions to attain the desired result
 Nevertheless, it is practically true that action and reaction are equal. And the big thing to realize in all the present labor turmoil is that it is a re- action from the long grasping domi- nance of ca pital Before the great war 1t was a statement frequently made. and very generally accepted, that labor was not receiving its fair share of pro- duction and that a readiustment was in process. But in many ways capital ists who theoretically would concede the need of readjustment were like the old Maine farmer of early prohibition days, lin favor of the law. but az in it's enforcement, Therefore, because of resistance and because of wild dreams of getting back at capital. labor is now in many instances rushing to the other extreme Creaction).
 Neither extreme is right. Labor's excessive demands are just as unrea- sonable as ca pitaFs selfish dominance heretofore. Both extremes are far more destructive than constructive. Strikes destroy far more than they gain. They are like war itself. Some agent of progress, but that notion is a fearful delusion- In fact, the whole idea of war and strife is the biggest delusion that ever entered the mind of man. If the results ~of war are pro gressive towards better civilization, why now the greatest war ever fol- lowed by conditions of local and do- mestic and industrial strife unprece- dented in human history? If war is progressive, which way is civilization headede If strikes paralyze industry and destroy production, as they most assuredly do-qui bono?
 Now if these statements are true about the overwh elmingly destructive results of strikes as well as of war isn't there something radically wrong with our notions of lining up for "vic- GaSb {9Ty "h9 speI Ton the oa warf fne Irxin Francisco earthquake?' he replied Why fight? Why strike? Why not confer and cooperate before the bat tie instead of afterwards? It Is a his tor1c fact that no peace conference
 
 generally supposed to be the result of the war or of the strike. Study this statement carefully. and you will find 1t true, and never more so than in the most recent peace conference, so- called
 The project for. a league of nations is fearfully handicapped because the terms of victory are so unfair to everybody It is eternally impossible to secure peace in terms of strife Neither strikes nor wars have ever brought peace. and never will bring it. The common sense of humanity ought to recognize that fact and realize the hopeless delusfon of strife
 But how can we have peace when i" eternal principles are overridden? Let me say frankly there's a lot of de- fusion about the readiness of men to die for ideals" I venture the state ment that nine times out of ten our lighting for ideals" means fighting for what you and I think we want without fair consideration of the other fellows condition or point of view. For most is agreed very generally that the Ger mans went crazy and set out to con- auer- the world and were checked in that purpose. But what drove them crazy? Why the difference between the Germany of the days before the war and 1ater-day "Prussianism?'' This is not a Euro. bean question. nor a national question. put d WOTIO question ana a hunQa ] question. and it will never be answered nor settled until men quit fighting and confer together reasonably, with real disposition prevailing on all sides to get fair interpretations for mutual ad- vantsg ge. Neither side in the great world controversy still raging has an the truth.
 Every man who seeks first his. o,v,, advantage is provoking. con dftions of ultimate strife and visiting infaufties upon his children Every man who loses his temper Is a sturn bling block in the way of human progress. Every man who thinks he can get his rights by lighting fs Ia boring under the biggest delrston thai ever possessed the human mind Fighting Is not manly but brutal and worse than brutal because enerssized by human intelligence bent upon de- l struction.
 Is there common sense enough in the average human mind to perceive these truths and act upon them? Upon the | <a ttas se &l,s