The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-10-28
PLAIN SPEAKING.


The decisive stand regarding the
threatened strike of bituminous coal
miners taken by President Wilson will
meet with the approval of the entire
country with the, exception of the rad
zeal element in the labor unions. Any
course he may adopt doubtless will be
endorsed by the public.
The great majority of American citi-
zens, not directly interested in labor
disputes. usually have occupied a neu-
trail attitude, mainly owing to uncer-
tainty regarding the merits of the sit
uation. The public in most cases has
been. confronted by rival claims of the
two sides to the controversy. and has
rarely been able to determine which
was right.
In the present instance the people
are told by the president that the pro-
posed strike is "unjustifiable and un-
lawful" They will believe him and
back him to the limit in any course he
may take, "a avert the impending
calamity.
The leaders of the mine workers
have gone too far. They have
wrought an injury to organized labor
generally. from which it may never
wholly recover. They cannot win; and
defeat will bring an irreparable loss
Of prestige.
No body of men in the world ever
possessed greater power for confer
ring benefits upon the business life of
the country and themselves at the
same time than the American Fedora
ton of Labor. 1t is extremely unfor-
tuaate that this great organization is
| in danger of being wrecked by the
radical element that has been permit
ted to enter it's ranks. y
| The future of American industry
will be determined by the composite
either, acting deliberately, not hastily
acting impartially, not with prejudice;
acting for the general welfare. not for
any class or selfish interest; acting
thru the ballot box or other properly
constituted methods of settling public
questions
The future of American industry
will never be determined by the boards
| of directors of corporations OF any
group of men representing a relative
| ly small part of American thought,
American energy and American indus
| try. -.-.-z
| The future of American industry
will be determined by the attitude
which the great majority of the Amer
lean people take toward the industrial
problems now confronting the nation.
! Corporations will not determine the
final attitude of employer and en-
pIoyes. Neither will organized labor.
The steel. strike and coal strike are
! incidents and important ones in the
Fsolutionaof the problem of the future
| of the labor union; but it does not rest
within the power of the directors of
/ the Steel Corporation or the coal op-
orators to determine what the outcome
shall be. The all-powerruI voice of
/ the American people, expressed in a
manner yet to be determined, will set
tie the question as to the position la
Dor unions are to occupy in our in
dustrial history.
If public sympathy shall be in IA
vor of labor unions, that sympathy
/ will find expression in one form or
another; and the corporations will be
compelled to bow to the public will
If. on the other hand. public opinion
shall be adverse to labor unions. as
now seems probable, that public opin-
ion will also find an expression which
will be just as decisive, and before
which the labor unions must bow with
no appeal to a higher authority.
Whenever the people of this coun-
try put the seal of their disapproEal
upon the labor union movement the
power of the labor union will be gone