The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-09-26
THE STRIKE AND THE CONFERENCE.

any rate while the ability of most of the plants keep
in operation is equally good evidence that the steel d.
rectors will be able make long and hard fight against
the unions.
There is no reason to expect the strike end quickly
now that the test is on Pride and stubbornness will
play their part and increasing bad feeling to be looked
for. When disorders come, they surely will, the au
thorties in every community will do well to stamp them
out without regard persons affiliations for disorder
is an oense against all the people and against the gov
eminent itself There is legal and little moral
for it.
The strikers showing commendabe desire to hold
public confidence while the offish attitude of the en-
poyers is working against them in public estimation
If the strike leaders prevent disorders they will
far toward winning friends who may stand them in good
stead little later For there is to be industrial
ference and public opinion will powerfully affect the
deliberations.
Presumably the strike will be when the conference
begins Doubtless the suggestion will be made that the
strike is analogous military operations which should
be suspended while the contending parties seeking
peace through conference But the request should be
made to the strikers that they to work pending
an adjustment in conference, they may refuse,
ground that there be restoration of the old status
They may argue that the old conditions forced them to
strike and therefore that there nothing in the nature
of an amistice in the proposal to resume work under
old conditions They would probably demand that the
conference agree partial provisional acceptance
of some or all of their strike aims basis for tenn
porary resumption of work If the ffty-ffty spirit is
pervade the conference the strikers will be ready to
suggest that the ffyffty spirit be extended to the terms
of the armistce.
The employees would against this proposal by
insisting that concessions could be reasonably demand
ed in advance of decision by the conference They
would hold that the return to the status quo ante strike
would be fair to all concerned The fundamental char
of the questions be considered by the conference
would furnish support to the employers argument They
could point out that the conference is important
than the strike because its conclusions may prove the
strike to have been entirely unnecessary means of
obtaining satisfaction for the workers.
AS the conference approaches the question arises
whether the employers will be willing to lay all their
cards the table, and how they avoid doing if
they enter the conference at ALL The see! corporation
for example refuses to recognize the labor unions 1t
rejects the principle of collective bargaining Yet the
conference will consist part of delegates whose right
to participate rests upon unonsm and collective bar
gaining These delegates cannot into discussions
looking to the abolition of unionism and the principle
of collective bargaining Can the delegates representing
capital enter into discussions looking the abolition of
stock companies instrumentoltes of capital? One
principle is as vital the other The very credentials
of the delegates based upon the validity of those
principles No union labor deeg"tc has any business
in the conference if he is willing to surrender unonism
and delegate representing the employers has right
to remain if he is willing to abolish corporations
The world is full of strange notions and shortcuts to
dealsm, but it probable that Americans will agree
at the forthcoming conference to abolish labor unions
and stock companies There may be suggestions for the
virtual merging of unions and companies by giving work
ers some participation in the management and stock own
arshp of the corporations employing them If that is
good plan, would it not also be good plan to make all
employers members of labor unions?
The average citizen looks with favor upon combination
md cooperation He believes that workers have a right
to unionize and that employers have right to combine
provided that neither side takes unfair advantage of the
other Many industrial wars have sprung out of the
fact that side better organized than the other
If both fully organized would they not be com
PEELED to cooperate? 1t is illogical in employers to
belong combinations and then refuse to deal with labor
unions The steel corporations position in this particular
is weak and 1t is not sufficient to say that employer
ought to have the right hire whom he pleases The
industrial system has gone far beyond that stage Neither
side take advantage of organization and deny it to
the other side. 1t not in refusing deal with orggn
zaon but in huryng forward the work of organization
on both sides that the solution be found-Wash