New-York tribune., 1919-11-10
Vindicating the Law

VndlCatlnG the Law
President Wilson said in his re-
cent address to the people that the
coal strike was both immoral and il
legal. 1t was immoral because it in
volved breach of contract with the
coal operators, made with the sane
ton of the government.
Representatives of the soft coal
miners unions signed an agreement
in the spring Of 1918 which was to
continue in force until the end of the
war, or, in any event, until the
spring Of 1920 The war is not yet
over, in a legal sense. The United
Mine Workers organization, there
fore, broke faith in calling a strike.
If this body were Incorporated, as it
ought to be, it would be liable to
suit for damages in the civil courts.
But so far as the public and the gov
ernment are concerned such suit
would be barren remedy. Coal Is
needed to run the railroads and keep
the wheels of industry going The
suffering inflicted by coal famine
could never be offset by monetary
damages collected from the coal
unions.
If the strike involved merely
moral obliquity and breach of con-
tractual obligations, the government
and the public would be hard put to it
to protect themselves against irrepa-
rable injury. But it also involves
the violation of a criminal statute.
The Lever law forbids conspiracies
to lower production of the neces-
saries of life. The leaders of the
United Mine Workers have engaged
in such conspiracy. They can be
prosecuted for their actions in the
cra.,inal courts. Yet such prose-
cution would not necessarily lift the
present ban on production. There
fore, remedy in equity has been
sought.
Judge Anderson's ruling in the
Federal District Court for the Dis
trict Of Indiana recognizes com
pletely the justice of the govern
ment's demand for instant protec-
ton. He has decided that the strike
is violation Of the Lever law and
that the officials who ordered it must
annul the order. Even the most
powerful labor organizations are not
to be permitted to operate in def
ance of law.
This is saving Judgment. The
coal strike was wanton attempt to
take the government and the public
by the throat. 1t sought to veto an
act of Congress. When they issued
the strike order in spite of the Pres
ldent's warning the leaders of the
coal miners unions stepped beyond
the limits of the policy of tolerance
toward organized labor which the
government has long followed. Labor
has not been hindered in any legiti-
mate efforts to improve conditions
and to increase wages. But when
union demands clash with the law
and the rights Of the public as estab-
lished by law they challenge our
governmental system and all the
conceptions Of the democratic order
on which that system rests.
Judge Anderson has directed the
officers Of the miners unions to re-
nounce their conspiracy If they are
wise they will comply. The arrogance
OF the radical element now largely in
control Of labor organizations is rap
idly destroying public confidence in
the unions as agencies of economic
betterment and progress. A saner
attitude must be adopted The pub
lie Is reaching the point at which it
Is no longer willing to be exploited
by grasping minorities; whether of
labor or of capital or of middemen.
Mr.. Lewis and his associates will set
the cause of unionism back twenty
five years if they try to maintain the
coal strike in the teeth of public
opinion, the government and the
courts.