Arizona republican., 1919-11-02
SUNDAY MORNING. NOVEMBER !. 1919
Terror is not always the effect of
force and an armament is not VIC
tory. Edmund Burke.
What the End May Be

The coal strike is OF great seriousness that
the government justified in proposing the most
extraordinary extreme to prevent it, and
that prevention has failed the justification eX
tends to almost any measures that will promise to
end il. The moral question involved is not now the
imminent. The thing to do is to end the strike
and then the thing the government to do is
10 go to the bottom of whole coal mining indus
try and take such firm control of it that situation
like this rise again
The coal miners have a deep and just grievance.
The mine ownerst have played against them and the
public for two generations. They primarily to
blame for all the trouble and the government must
bear great share of blame for the hands-off pol
icy it has pursued with respect to the coal mining
industry industry that touches every family in
urban population.
In intervening now the government is doing
nothing new In 1902 there a strike involving the
entire anthracite industry President Roosevelt did
an unprecedented thing Heretofore strikers and
employers mad been fight out their differences
and the employers always But President Roose-
Welt made the anthracite strike presidential business
and he forced the mine and the mine workers
leaders before him and he also forced agreement
In those days the vested interests still be
ieved TO be sacred. The doctrine that might
manage his own property and business he fit
had not been seriously disturbed The interference
Of the president was resented by the mine
hut it the less effective.
Equally energetic means must be taken to
bring the strike to a close. The men have quit work
We know of way by which the government through
the courts can force them to return The only thing
it apparently do will be protect such miners as
may want to return and such new men as can be in
Guced to enter the miNs.
And when the emergency has been met the gov
eminent viii be crminslly weak if it does not
energetcany it's attention to the sins of the
mine owners Roosevelt did II years ago.
In this controversy the side Of the mine workers
briefly and we believe correctly presented in
statement by Mr. Gompers on Friday:
Throughout the period of the war and during the
nations time of the miners of America labored
patiently periodically and arduousy in order that the
principles Of freedom and democracy might triumph
over the forces Of arbitrary authority dictatorship
and despotsm.
When armed hostilities ceased last November
the miners found themselves in the paradoxical po-
ston where their intensive labors being used TO
further enrich the owners of coal mines and mer-
chants dealing in coal BY the immediate reduction of
the mining OF coal OF course mine owners readi-
ly conceived that an over abundance Of mined coal
would seriously disturb the high prices of coal and
cndanger their margin of profits
ION the other hand, the miners found that with
The constantly rising of necessities Of life and
with their income reduced so per cent because
OF ideness that they had reached the limit Of hu-
man endurance. Orderly and improved processes
were invoked to negotiate n understanding with
the mine owners and which would enable the miners
10 work at least five days during week through
nut the entire year and allow them a wage sufficient
TO enable them to live in decency and free from many
n the pressing uncertainties Of life.
The course of the mine owners has been one Of
~ i,ft,
Of the west especially we of the southwest where
coal is a less vital thing than it is in the east and
north, do understand and cannot understand the
altitude OF the people of the north and east the
coal mining industry. 1t is the most hated Of all in
dustrles. The hate though sometimes latent, is
shared by every family. Every family looks forward
10 the coal-aying as period when it must
subject itself to annual robbery Robbery by the coal
barons has come be as fact as was the
plunderng by the robber barons during the feudal
ages.
The people long since gave up hope Of relief from
The burden of tribute they had been called upon to
pay. Perhaps this catacysm which we saw coming
but which the government made no effort to meet
until It arrived may result in situation which win
afford permanent relief to the public as wen as 10
the miners. II So the country can well afford the
suffering and shivering it will endure through The
ncxt few weeks.
Why Not Vote Now?