Evening star., 1921-09-09
Editorial Digest.
Peace in the american Balkans"

Peace in the american Balkans. "
The press of the country is frankly
out of patience with the continued
Industrial and political conditions
which caused open warfare in "the
American Balkans" as the West vir-
ginia mine area has been designated
by some. The Norfolk Virginian-
pilot (democratic) finds "the country
tired of the whole blamed business"
which. according to the Idaho States
man (Boise, republican,, is fast be-
coming a bore" But editors differ
as to the effective means of perma-
nently relieving the situation. Most
Of them insist, with the Lynchburg
(Va.) News (democratic) that vio-
lence must always be put down "at
any cost" and that, as the Canton
(Ohlo) News (democratic) says, "the
merits of the controversy between the
miners in the Mingo district" did not
enter into the matter as 1t stood when
the federal government acted. There
Is, however, a very audible voice of
warning from many other papers that
the summary action taken means, as
the Springfield Republican Gndepend-
enO expresses it, only a postpon-
ling" which, the New York Post Gn-
dependent) adds, leaves mo guaran-
tee for the future; and they feel with
the Birmingham News (democratic) }
that until prophylactics are applied
there is little hope for stopping a
running sore." however drastic the
emergency measures taken.
West Virginia, that engagingly
barbarous commemorative" which the
"a z fItrNn
as sort of wild west show trans
planted to the east" is severely criti-
cized editorily for the failure of its
officials to keep the mine situation in
, hand. 1t is noteworthy that the most
uncompromising censure of the state
comes from the papers of the neigh
boring southern states, which express
little sympathy for what they con-
slider West Virginia's inability to fight
her own battles without federal as
sistance.
why is West Virginia's state gov
ernment?" asks the Louisville Courier
journal (democratic). when. as the
democraticl asserts, it's officials take
the line of least resistance and shunt
the responsibility for controlling the
states internal affairs upon the fed
eral government" When Gov. Nor
gan. gives assurance that every
restore law and order,'" the Rich
mond Times-Dispatch (democratic)
concludes that apparently he meant
every available resource of the fed
erai government" and the "dilly-
dallyinE of the public authorities, +"
the Savannah News (democratic) be-
lieVes. has given "a lot of encourage
ment' to the men who are now being
blamed for the trouble. And the
Wheeling (W., va.) Register (demo-
part" of such criticism sis warranted"
because there never has been sin
cere and conscientious effort made to
settle" the difficulties in the mines.
But. whatever the cause. "condi-
tions in the Mingo region had reached
a point. the New York Herald Gnde-
pendenD declares. where Washing
ton could no longer ignore the local
situation" and. according to the
Springfe'd Union (republican). Gov.
Morgan was right in calling for help
from Washington" and the Presix
dents action in granting it was. in
the opinion of the New York Tribune
(republcan). Overwhelmingly sup
ported by public opinion"
NO matter what sort of grievance
the striking miners may have" the
Nashville Banner independent) as
sures them they should not have un-
dertaken to settle it "by force of
arms" since, as the Charleston (W.
Va Mail independent republican,
observes. "experience has taught that
what the human mind will not ac-
cept the sword cannot enforce" 1t
was not necessary in the recent crisis
to discuss issues, since the only point
in which orderly and law-abiding
Americans were at the moment inter-
ested. the Boston Post independent
any body of men. with or without a
grievance, can organize themselves
into an armed force and attempt to
terrorize those whom they regard
as their enemies"
This point the Philadelphia Public
Ledger independently answers uncondi-
tionally in the negative. "These men,"
1t says. ''chose the road of rebellion and
defied authority to right alleged wrongs
that can be righted otherwise. In brief,
crush rebellion is to crush it,
Yet the suppressing of lawlessness,"
the Christian Science Monitor (Boston,
independently warns. will not alone
solve the difficulty" Trouble will con-
tinue in West Virginia. the New York
rights of citizens receive equal consider
alton with the rights of corporations -
The president of the miners union ap-
pealed to the President for a confer
ence. the St Louis ost-Dispatch (inde-
pendenD recalls, and to this appeal for
peace by negotiation the President re-
sponded with peace by the iron heel"
which action. the Rochester Times
Union independently feels. "does not get
at the root of the trouble
From Colorado. which "knows that
Cripple Creek and Leadville and Ludlow
wars and killings settled nothing" the
Rocky Mountain News (Denver, inde-
pendenD advises the people of West
Virginia Ito take a leaf from the book
of Colorado" and to learn that "a state
cannot bring peace by force. A state
may by force put down a disturbance
connected with a strike. but that does
not mean peace. Colorado was without
industrial peace" until as a state it
took things in hand and made the
question of industrial relations a matter
for the state to deal with"