Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-01


But so far as the report of the in =
terview between the Mayor and the
committee goes, he did not say that the
right of a man to work cannot be
| denied nor did he say that the full
power of the city will be exercised to
protect every man willing to work in
the exercise of that right without in =
reference from any one.
There has already been rioting on
! the river front between the strikers and
{ the men who are trying to work Sew
cral lives have been lost The police
captain who failed to preserve order has
been denoted. but that does not bring
back to life the innocent bystanders who
were shot by the rioters. If the police
had been doing their full duty the
rioting would have been impossible.
The longshoremen have stopped work
which is their right. They have pre-
vented other men from working, which
they have no right to do. And as q
result they have tied up the business
Of the port.
The function of the police depart
ment is to preserve order and to pro
tect every peaceful citizen in his right
to work and to go to and from work
unmolested 1t is not its function tc
tah" sides with the disputants in 6
strike. Its only duty is to preserv,
the peace.
If the successor of the denoted police
captain can be impressed with his duty
in the matter. and If he is backed by
Director COrtelyou, the first and most
important move toward the settlement
of the strike will have been made
Then the disputants can settle the issu,
on its merits without intimidation or
either side.
The disorder on the river front is the
result of the same contempt for tn,
rights of others that has been exhibited
by the rioters in Fairmount Park. Fol
three nights in succession mobs o.
young men have made trouble in tn,
Park. On Tuesday night twelve per
sons were arrested after a battle will
the police, and when arraigned in cour
yesterday they were held in heavy bal
to await trial. They were all young
yet they showed contempt for au
thority which cannot be tolerated in
civilized community.
Governor Coolidge was referring t.
other issues in the statement that h
made after comforting with Senate
Harding in Washington yesterday. bu
his remarks apply to the local situa
tiOn. He said that we have man,
problems ahead of us and continued:
Many men have many remedies.
The best remedy is the observance of
the constitution and the laws. not
their enforcement. mind you I am
not now speaking Of that or course,
the government will enforce the laws.
That is far from enough There must
be n return of public opinion toward
a self-conrrol by the people, toward q
great and overmastering desire to OBJ
serve the law. When that is done
the other problems will fall away
there will be peace, prosperity and
progress.
This means that authority in tn
United States is not something that
imposed on US from above, but tha
whatever power it has rests on the vii
Of the people themselves. The laws ar
the expression of their will. They ar
rules and regulations made for the pro
lection of the rights of us all. Th
responsibility for orderly governmen
rests upon the citizenry. 1t must de
sire order and fair play. 1t must exer
else self control which will max
impossible such reckless use of firearm
as characterized the water front riot
and which will prevent young men. es
pecialiy young men in the uniform o
the United States. 'from such conduc
as has disturbed the peace in Fairmoun
Park recently.
Governor Coolidge's remarks poin
the way to peace in all domestic in
dustrial and social relations and in in
ternatonal relations as well. Thei
application will simplify the problem c
government at home and will leave tn
international courts little to do in ad
msting the disputes of nations. The
are based upon the desire for justiC
rather than for selfish advantage,
desire which so far as it has been domi
nant is responsible for whatever prog
} ress mankind has made toward a civil
lied state.