The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-10-03
AN UNPOPULAR STRIKE

practically unanimous, support of the
men themselves.
Il This element is lacking in the steel
strike that began yesterday morning.
In spite of the conflicting claims
made by the leaders and the corpor-
alton officials, it is evident that the
men who walked out probably number
less than a majority of the total en-
ployes of the industry.
The steel mills were operated in
most districts in spite of the edict
of Mr.. Fitzpatrick and Mr.. Foster,
and they were operated not by strike
breakers but by regular employees
VINO refused to quit work because a
committee had ordered them to quiz
work.
Reports indicate that few native
born Americans struck and that most
of those who went out are foreigners.
This is plausible. 1t is much easier
to organize discomfort industry than
among the American elements. 1t is
easier to appeal to passion and to
arouse false hopes. In the dispatch
es from Pittsburgh it is reported that
some of the men were told that If
they won 1.-THE strike prohibition would
come to an end and they would get
twelve hours pay for eight hours
work. This is readily believable by
anybody who is familiar with the
general character of the radical pro-
paganda that has been under way in
this country for the last ten months.
At the very outset it is apparent
that there little popular sympathy
with the strfke. The country has be-
come impatient of strikes and in this
particular instance it has been unable
to find an adequate grievance that JUS
titles precipitaze action in seeking to
close down onA Of the greatest indus
tries in the wprld. Although Judge
Gary's peremptDry refusal to enter
into confereneeX with the union lead
ers is censurable, thay in itself does
not justify strike that has no higher
motive than the organization of the
steel employees On the part of certain
labor leaders whose continuance in
power dependsssolely upon their abil-
ity to extend their power.
The more Conservative leaders of |
labor were opposed to the |
strike. The Industrial conference to |
be held early IN October afforded a |
forum for the expression Of any realt
grievances. There was no reason I
why the strike could not have been
deferred untiIS after the conference, |
as President Wilson urged, and the
radical leaders who ordered it were
more of themselves than
they were about the men. They are
playing for big. stakes in labor union
politics and can afford to gamble
Unless the employees of other indus
tries are willing to make common
cause with the steel employees who
have gone out, the chances of sue,
cess in this particular strike seem
Slight, and as yet there is no indica-
ton that organized labor as a whole
is disposed to regard the Fitzpatrick
Foster exploit as anything better
than a dubious speculation.
No great strike can make much
Roadway without public support. and
there is no public support in this in
stance. At a time when the country |
needs the fun operation Of all it's in
dustrial agencies, the steel workers |
were called out on an issue of mere |
union recognition, and such an issue
contains none of the elements of pop |
ular appeal in a country which knows |
that labor has profited enormously |
by the war and is working under con- |
ditions that four years ago would
have been regarded as too good to be |
true. This is especially the case in |
the steel Industry, and if the strike |
collapses there will be few mourners
outside the coterie of radical leaders
who have Set out in the spirit of the
German general staff to establish
their claim to World.
Revenue Collector James M. Cath