Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-05-14
WON'T FIGHT WHEN
THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO
But the Aeeressors viii First Have to
Discover That War Costs More
Than Il lie Wnrth

Than II Is Worth
WHlLE the discussion of international
w disarmament is going on 1t might be well
to consider why there has been no disnrma-
ment in the West Virginia coal regions.
The war" which was waging there some
weeks ago has broken out again, and the
Federal Government has been asked to send
soldiers into the State to restore order.
Here is concrete example on u small
scale Of the working of n plan which the
French wished to be incorporated In the
covenant of the League Of Nations.
II may be said that an industrial war
with its gunmen bears but slight relation to
n war between nations. and this may be
admitted without invalidatins the analogy.
The West Virginia trouble has arisen be-
cause each party to the controversy has
insisted that it was right and that II would
have its own way. The miners assert their
right to organize and the operators declare
that no member of miners organization
shall work for them.
Opinions may differ as to the merit Of the
controversy, but the thing on which atten-
tion should be concentrated ia the existence
Of an irreconcilablc difference of opinion be-
tween the disputants. 1t is not necessarily
irreconciahle. but so long as the miners and
operators continue in their present temper
force has resulted In an appeal to a stronger
force to bring the war" to au end. So we
have q war to end war.
The conflict is not profitable The mine
operators are earning no dividends ON their
invested capital because their mines are
idle. The miners are earning no wages be-
cause they are not working. The loss in
dollars will be computed when the trouble
is finally settled, and it will run into many
millions.
But men are so short. sighted and so per
verse that they will suffer great loss rather
than compromise or submit their disputes
to tho arbitration of an impartial tribunal.
4 form of blind autocracy represented by
thT operators met another form of blind
alItbCraCy represented by the miners union.
and n clash was inevitable. Both sides have
forgotten that there is no excuse for the
existence of coal mines unless they produce
coal. for they have stopped the production
of the mines.
There can be no permanent peace until
there is permanent change in the point of
view of the employers and the employees in
the mining region.
1t is equally true that there can be no
permanent world peace until there is a
widespread and controlling conviction among
the nations that the establishment of justice
is more profitable in the long run than any
war or series Of wars entered on to secure
br force what nation cannot secure by
mutual consent
The French delegates to the Peace Con-
ference. with n clear IL cynical view of the
present state of the world. argued for the
establishment of an international police force
to preserve the peace. II war broke OUT
between nations this police force was to be
sent in just as the Federal troops are to
be sent to West Virginia to compel the COM
batants to lay down their arms The French
did not believe that peace could be secured
in any other way.
The petty war now waging in Poland
seems to indicate that the French were
nearer right than those idealists who trusted
TO moral suasion to prevent greedy men
from seeking to satisfy their desires.
An intelligent and informed self interest
will prevent nine out Of ten wars. 1t will
prevent every aggressive war. Except when
men have fought for their liberties the fruits
Of no war have been worth what has been
paid for them. And even when men have
fought for right. as the Allies did in the
great war tho price which they have had
To nay for il is so great as to burden them
and their children for many generations.
No appeal to high ideals and to humane
instincts has yet succeeded in preventing
war. because the number of persons who
hold the ideals and respond automatically
TO the instincts has never been large enough
to control the policies of nations.
II it can be demonstrated that war does
not pay, the first step toward disarmament
will have been taken This is one Of the
reasons for the insistence of the Allies on
the enforcement of the repnration clauses of
the treaty. Germany was the agGrcssor.
She forced the other nations TO resist her
and to pile up enormous war debts
The penalty Of S32 900, 900, 900 laid upon
Germany Is none too heavy when one con
siders the gravity Of her crime. Indeed, so
serious is her offcnsc that her resources are
not great enough to reimburse the other ma
tions for even the money loss Of the war, to
say nothing Of the loss Of life and tho
suffering Of the manned and the bercavod.
But she must pay what she can, and the
other nations must hope that the moral will
NOT b. lost upon hcr or upon any other
nation which may in the future contemplate
n similar attempt to dominate the world.
IF there is any reduction in armaments
in tho near future il will come about not 40
much because war is barbarous and un-
Christian as because the nations cannot af-
ford to pay the cost Of their military and
naval forces on the present scale. The
danger Of national bankruptcy will force
action much more quickly and surely than
ony abstract arguments against war.