The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1920-02-20
Shall Chaos or Reconstruction
IL Europe Follow the Great
World War;
DANGER IN GENERAL UNREST
Practically Universal Feeling Of Dis.
content Will Grow Unless the
Causes Which Gave It Birth
Are Removed.
Article VII.
BY FRANK coMERFoRD.

ny FRANK COMERFORO.
A specter haunts Europe 1t is the
ghost Of unrest. When / started out
to Interview unrest In Europe l did
not give my ear to the idle theorist
who always. knows all about every
thing, but never from direct expert
ence with it, nor did go to the agita-
tor who breaches unrest in red words
Neither did seek out the type Of IA
natical labor leader, who is eager for
trouble, who IL trying to mobilize un-
rest and marshal it under the banner
Of Revolution. passed by the place
hunting, time-serving politician. was
not interested In platitudes and prom
ises.
sought knowledge Of unrest from
those who knew it from contact with 1t,
those who were part and parcel Of 1t.
went to the man in the street, the
average man. talked with the
sweaty. dirty coal miner at the mouth
Of the shaft. He had just come from
his day in the darkness deep in the
ground. l visited the man who works
In the mills. listened to the rough
speech Of the teamster. went to fac
tories and talked with men between
the two whistles which mark the time
Of the noon meal. They munched at
black bread, ate cheese or sausage,
gulped tea, coffee or cheap. diluted red
wine. l spent time with the idle, the
idle by choice as well as those without
work through no fault o. their own.
Only yesterday many, yes. most of
these men were in khaki; now, back
on the job in overalls, they were think
ing. Their speech was troubled. Dis
content looked out from their eyes. I
could feel It. They talked It, but never
as unrest, always protest.
Unrest Must BE Quieted
Their state Of mind Is the problem.
Unrest Is epidemic; 1t Is militant.
There is little Of pacifism in 1t. 1t Is
real, It Is not without cause. To get
close to the cause Of this disease which
threatens revolution, one must know
and understand what is going on In
the minds Of the men we are looking
to and depending upon to do the
worlds work. It doesn't take q
prophet to understand that If heed is
not given to the things irritating them
and a remedy Is not found for the irri-
tation, serious trouble will follow.
While war is hell, 1t has at least
the restraint Of discipline. A revolu-
tion growing out Of unrest would mean
mob madness, terrorism, fanatical
brutal, cruel and merciless. Once
started, 1t would spread like wildfire
The world would be swept from it's
senses. The fire would run its course
until stopped because there was moth
ing left to burn. Who dares picture the
state In which it would leave the
worldf In this day, when the nerves
OF the world are on edge. when cold
and hunger irritate. one shudders when
he thinks of the fate Of civilization
II unrest Ia not checked before 1t ex'
Modes In passion and wrath.
Unrest existed before the war. It was
an acorn then, 1t IL an oak now. Be
fore the war men were complaining
and Justly complaining, about their lot
The difference now is that four years
IN the trenches have caused them tt
stop complaining and act. SOLDERING
taught them much. They learned Of
the greatness Of force.
Back Of their present tendency q
act Is the grown grievance ana TN
war lesson. Before the war tney co.l'
planned; today they demand. II Is ~
teresting to examine unrest IL 'n'
complaint stage. as these men knew
before 1914.
These plain' Ordinary sverase me.
have always oeen intensely nu,han
They loved their wives ana chi'ure -
they lived TOT tnelr MONIES 'nes .e'
keeniy tneir responsibility LUZ ue nap
piness oitneif ioVeo ONES 1hes nav
but one tnins 70 slve. Dei"ie .ne va Sa
they gave II unspaiins "as '"..
LABOR. iheir one Sou ,1,..S ~ ~. n ~