The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-05-01
THE BOOMERANG.

For many months, now, the news
papers have suffered shortage OF
paper. A few of the smaller weeklies
in Florida have been forced to the
wall, but in the main the press Of the
state has weathered the storm with
flying colors. Pages have been re-
duced from seven columns to six; edi-
tons have fallen from twenty-four to
eight; some editors have reSorted to
book paper; one week the DeFuniak
Breeze came out on wrapping paper
and other papers have been forced to
resort to expedients equally as drastic
Then came the strike, and for weeks
the papers have literally been strug-
Cling between life and death. Cars OF
paper at the other end of the world, or
half way home, or just around the corr
ner on some railroad siding, but ali
equally impossible to reach.
The Journal suffered with the others
Space was at a premium, the paper was
reduced in size and news and adver-
Using were cut at tremendous loss
of revenue. When at last the situation
was relieved, and things began to get
back to normal again, comes the news
that a linotype machine, much needed,
is tied up in New York state, and can
not be shipped by rail or water, so
great is the present congestion.
Florida has lost millions through the
strikers, but the loss to truckers can
certainly be no greater than that which
has fallen upon the newspaper of the
state in loss Of revenue, time and ener-
gy, through the tying up Of the rail-
roads throughout the country.
But the tremendous losses involved
in the strike are confined to no state
or business enterprise. Every state in
the union and every enterprise has suf-
fered, either directly or indirectly. And
the people are very tired Of being held
up.
John J. Callahan. one of the best IN
formed newspaper men of the day,
writing his impressions of conditions to
the Washington Post, says:
No one can make trip through the
middle and far west as I have done for
the Washington Post without receiving
series of impressions of direct i'm
portance in connection with the unrest
which generally prevails. The strong
est impression made upon the mind il
that the country at base is absolutely
sound and that it will not only control
but is, itself, getting ready to control
the social and industrial movements
which are disturbing the surface of the
national life and some of which are
admittedly revolutionary in character.
With the needs Of labor there is sym
pathy and a generous public purpcs. to
see that they are provided for. But
the public has a deaf for exorbitant
demands by any labor organization.
The people are restless toward any
strike or threat of strike. They have
come to realize that strike acts as a
lockout and reduces production, and
that reduced production means a cur
tailed supply Of necessaries, be it
or fuel or manufactured
goods, with an inevitable increase in
crease in costs so far as the consumer
is concerned
And Mr.. Callahan is right. The strike
has proven to be a great boomerang.
The very men who promoted it, are
bound to suffer with others, and sooner
or later those men will come to real
ize that all parts of industry, must
work tremendously together if COM
mercial life is to function.
The discovery is being brought home
to them already in the rise of many
commodities which the strike has af-
fected. The day will yet come when
the American workman will look upon
such strike as was recently staged
not only as a disloyalty to his gov
eminent, but to the interests Of him.
self and his neighbor.