The state herald., 1919-08-29
lMroLEaAsLE.
From The Baltimore Sun. }.

So <hAA~A tdh CdCtatiOu vi A<uUOI
was entirely within its rights in in
dorsing what is called the Plumb
plan of dealing with the railroad
problem, which is virtually plan
based on government ownership, with
u mixed commission of management; /;
and it is also within its rights in us
ing all legitimate influence to pre-
vent the return of the roads to pri-
vate ownership and direction. But
il the federation commits itself to the
threat, voiced recently by some of
the railroad workers leaders, of q
general strike to force the acceptance
Of their views, it will commit itself TO
a course utterly at war with all its
previous principles, ,and equally at
war with what has heretofore been
the American method Of settling pub
lie controversies.
What the leaders who make this
threat propose is the employment of
massed organized labor to force the
adoption Of national policy. II Is
not threat to strike to secure fair
wages; it is not threat to vote A.
gainst the party which may b in dis
nGRaemhnk -xith hAhau-an-Ahssskjs~t,
il is a threat to compel the adoption
Of their theory by striking u crush
ing blow ut transportation, business
and national welfare. II il the meth
cd called "direct action" which is
nothing more than the dictation Of
one class to all other classes; nofh-
ing more than the application Of the
principle Of minority despotism to
questions of public policy, in which
all classes have nm equal claim to he
heard.
Organized labor would have quite
as much right to strike against the
principle of the protective tariff or
the the principle Of free trade, to
strike for or against the peace treaty
for or against woman suffrage, for or
against prohibition, for or against the
single tax, n big navy or small ma
Wy, big army or u little army, the
taxation of incomes, the democratic
zation Of industries, or the division of
all wealth pro rataf On all these
questions labor has n right 10 vote mt
the polls; on none of them has il n
right to take the country by the
throat by means Of u strike and say
"You shall"
We cannot believe that labor lend
ers who have talked about n general
railroad strike to compel Government
ownership represent the sane mass OF
intelligent American workmen. But
they injurc labor by such foolish and
wild outgivings The principle OF
force which they propose to invoke
will not frightcn the American people
into compliance with their demand;
it will tend TO solidify them against
il because Il sets up nm un- American
method of deciding public questions
dangerous to all interests and all
siasses. to organized labor no less
than to othcrs-a principle which
might well return to curse those who
hrst employed It.
No party in congress will dare 70
knuckle 10 such n declaration OF tyr
amy. The pnrty which did would be
swept out Of existence M by whirl-
wind. =
The rnilrond workers have right
TO living wngcs; they have no right
to say that the country shall or shall
not have government ownership OF
railronds, md 10 threnten u nation
wide paralysis of transportation. in
dustry and business II their views nrc
no, accepted. And the American peo
pie. nftcr overthrowing the tyranny
OF the Hohenzollcrnns, will not sub
init 10 class trynnny at home, wbeth.
ar the tyrnnts be domineering cnpi.
talists or dominccring minorities Of
my other description.