The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-25
SENATORS PLAN TO
VISIT STEEL MILLS
Continued from First Page.

well nigh equivalent to civil war. The
innocent bystander, the great public, is
exposed to all the burdens and perils.
The steel strike. is not q movement
suddenly conceived and sprung. Since
time before GUS entrance into the wal
II has been threatened, and expected to
be started when conditions should be IA
vorable. This great aggregation Of cap
ital, we are informed, has been regarded
as the one great obstacle to universal
federation Of the toilers of America. The
threat of strike wac revived about
sixty days ago. when the President an
nounced a conference of representatives
OF all classes of people in the hope OF
reaching a remedy. He asked the steel
workers to await that conference in the
hope of a solution.
THE most prominent labor leaders
like Mr., Gompers. recognized the >requesi
and passed II on to their organizations
So until a week ago it was supposed
that the strikers would wait. Never
theless on Thursday last II was an
nounced there would be a strike on Mon
day. 1t began as announced, and has
borne the usual bloody and bitter fruits
despite that the leaders promised there
should be no violence or destruction
A strike for Power.
STRIKES, even for the abatement OF
real grievances, are thoroughly bad.
No strike ever settles anything except
temporarily. In the present case there
are none save ex post facto grievances
It has been called strike for power
I understand the strike leaders propose
to impose their will upon the industry
and force adoption. of the closed shop
rule. The head of the steel industry is
opposed to that policy.
II deeply regret the refusal of Judge
Gary to meet the men and discuss mat
tiers with them. That is always good
policy. But he refused and the strike
is called a strike for power. Yet IL that
excuse had not sufficed some other
would have been found.
Mr. Thomas described the Colorado
situation. where the men, having nc
grievances. received from Foster. the
strike leader. an order-"issued, MI
Thomas said. "as general issues CON-
mands to his troops"-directing the men
to support long list of demands, In
GLIDING collective bargaining. the eight
hour day, six day week. increased wages
standardized scale of wages. double pay
for overtime and Sunday work. sc.
"These in turn were settled to the
satisfaction of the men, but still the
strike was called.
Radicals Plan Coup.
ct believe the real object of this
strike is to disturb and bedevil indus
try and to force the hand of the Presi.
dent at the coming labor conference sc
that he will be compelled to yield to the
demands of the extreme radicals" said
Mr.. Thomas. THAT is proposal sc
un- American, so hostile to our ideals Of
| freedom, so damnable that no man will
be found with the audacity to defend u
1t is denial to the citizen Of the rights
guaranteed to him in our fundamental
| institutions.
''If men are to be subjected to the
rule of an Organization, so that they
may work or not according as tina
organization shall direct, they are slave;
as truly as II they were owned. Any
| organization thus denying the Eight:
of men deserve the condemnation of al
good citizens. But the truth is that tbs
country has been remiss in falling II
protect the rights of the people. VIVA
else is government for?
THE legislation of Congress has In
vited and made inevitable the very con
dition we fas by granting special privi
! leges to particular classes In Febru
airy, 1918, Congress passed In a measure
here a proviso that no money hereiI
appropriated shall be used for pTosecu
ton of any organization aiming to Sc
cure higher wages, to shorten hours o.
work. &c. That was vetoed by thu
| President and Congress passed II ovel
| the veto. He returned IL with approval
! but with the statement that II II wer,
possible to do so without killing the en-
tire bill he would not approve. Thu
language Of that veto message, in tn
| light OF present events, has the inspra
ton of prophecy. 1t warned us of ever!
evil that has since flowed from tina
policy Of exempting classes from tn,
operation Of general law.
Result of Clayton Act.
later we passed the Clayton act
lexempting certain interests and classes
from the processes of the courts.
voted against It and protested that Il
pass such legislation giving privileges
! to particular classes was as wrong al
to commit treason Now we are enjoy
| ing the consequences. How do you lik'
them, gentlemen? We have said to thes,
favorites, DO as you please-you arr
above the law-only vote for us at thu
next election And as both parties wer,
/ equally responsible neither even galneC
the political advantage"
| Senator Thomas read from some ex
positions of the views of Foster, tn,
strike leader. and declared that the!
showed the purpose of the strike was Il
do away with the wage system, TO con
flscate property, TO keep the revolution
going until men like Foster should be
| come in this country as Lenine and
! Trotsky are In Russia, and to lead thu
discontinued, discouraged and lawless t.
unite in a movement to wreck the world
|