Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-04-16
Saturday, April IS, 1921.
IN NAME OF COMMON SENSE

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A subscriber no one would suspect
as being sentimental or excessively
optimistic, and who has long been
apprehensive of the spirit of hospi-
tality and greed manifested in pres
emit day relations between men, is re-
joicing. 1t is because of the sixteen
principles offered by the. United
States Labor Board as basis on
which the railroad managers and en-
ployes may establish sensible regula-
tions and so dispose of the difficulties
which threaten industry if not the
Ieace of this country.
Il have read them twice and expect
TO again" he said. "They impress me
as affording solid ground on which to
build. II the parties to the contro
versy cannot get together on that
basis / don't see how it is possible to
do so. / believe the very large ma
jority of men, when they are able to
understand all the conditions, are dis
posed to be fair
Those sixteen principles are Nigh
ty good reading. If any of the inter-
ests to which they may apply, wish to
settle the controversy by might, by a
struggle with locked horns. they
.ich others
should, and most, we think, will agree
with the subscriber But when was
a controversy of this nature, con-
troversy such as must, when settled
give place to relations under which
men may work and live together for
their mutual benefit and the common
good, ever satisfactorily determined
by might over right? Never And
never will be- The old tryants of
Russia thought they had the people
under heel, continued to think so for
several centuries, and builded ac-
cordingly. What they built was
pulled down over their heads by an
insensate and ignorant mob, that had
it been treated properly, had it been
made able to comprehend, would not
have done so. If might can't take the
place of right in Russia there is no
place on this earth where it may.
So let us consider those sixteen
principles; receive them with out
stretched hands, and not as did Sam
uel Gompers, with skepticism. True,
if they might be adopted and lived up
to, there would be less Of notoriety for
such as make their living at leading
labor. We had, however. the con-
viction that he is too big a man, that
he has the cause of labor too near his
heart, that he is too wise and too near
the end of his labors to permit him
self to be swayed by such ignoble
motives. Doubtless he is not con-
scious Of being. Yet he might at least
have expressed a wish these princi-
pies would prove as effective as they
are promising
His neglect to do that. to react OPP
timistically, is not because he was
disappointed at the decision to dis
continue the present intolerable re-
strictions that have hampered rail-
road management. He and the intel
ligent men composing the railroad or
CARNATIONS were we'll aware such
conditions could not continue. He
and they knew that this same boards
attitude from the first had been
friendly to labor. He had no criti-
cism to offer, and not having that he
did not commit himself to favorable
comment. In assuming that attitude
We think he made a mistake This
country is a giant with one hand tied
to his back. 1t needs both hands.
There is no good reason under the
canopy why he shouldn't have them
Here is an opportunity and in the
name of common sense and a COM
mon patriotism we should try to take
advantage of it.