Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-22
WHAT HARDING CAN DO.

The rail strike. in slangy Ameri-
cancsc. may later he "up TO Hard
INK" The Railroad Labor Board has
failed Ia its preliminary efforts. True,
the Beard has requested the railroad
heads and the leaders OF the Ave big !
unions 20 meet IN Chicago next week
around the conference table. But
even if the meeting is held there is no
guaranty ~ its success.
The nrst time that the nation az a
whole appealed to the Presidency In !
such an emergency was dsring Clcvo-
land'H administration. In 1894. whom
HuHpno v. Dehs led the Pullman strike !
which was most pronounced In chi !
UaHo, After considerable rioting and
plllauu the President hlunuy ordered
rudpral trouna Co Illinois and else
where. Governor Altrcld Of Illinois re-
turtud that hts state forces could
handle tho situation. hut Cleveland
tunk no chances, Tho strike was
wohrn. bat only after some blood.
ahrd and much property loss.
President Wilson faced similar.
thoueh minor ease IN 1920. when the
suscallrd outlaw switchmcn's strike
was called Wilson had more
subtle tool TO usc than was given 10
cleveland. The Lever Food and Fuel
tonirol Act, passed IN August. 1919.
made u unlawful For two or more
pprHona 10 limit the facilities for
transporting tho necessities of life by
unlvrinr into amy agreement" Rail-
road swltchmcn we're convicted in the
Federal courts of violating the act.
THAT virtually ended the strike.
Attorney General Palmer put a
speedy end 90 the coal miners strike
last year, lie invoked the Lever act.
and Federal Judge Anderson in In
dianapolis issued an injunction for
bidding the miners the right 10 strike.
ono Lewis. the head OF the miners.
. made dramatic play at the time by
e declaring. we are Americans and
p cannot strike against our Country" )"
Ills side gained much public sympathy
e. because of his action. The Lever act
= was repealed March Of this year.
r There remain only two methods by
= which President Harding can operate
+. the trains II general walkout oc-
I ours. lie may emulate Premier Aris.
/ tide BRAND OF France in a certain
way. II win be remembered that a
4 decade ago when BRAND was also Pre-.
"A mior, a great railway strike wa,
. threatened IA France. BRAND ISSUED
4 The call Co the oolors 60 an trainmer
j, who were preparing 90 so out OF
strike. This can was possible undel
+, the French compulsory military ser
vice law Whom the men reporte,
tu the Government BRAND said: 9TH,
Government orders YOU 60 run IN
trains hn military .duty" The train
wuru fun President Harding canno
dp that hul be- can call upon IN
ARMY 90 run lho mail trains. whio
la Uotutnmpnl business.
a more adroit and more eflcicn
WHE ln handle the situation would b
lHl lhu Government 20 again take owe
lhe railroads The law of August 2l
inie. authorised the Government I
iaht WHaurnalun and operate them a
llnir uf Wnt The railroads are bac
" ln private hands, bat the Goyernmer
mny anam have them by just on
~ Wnld lrum llnrdlnF. No addition,
y lbalHlallun a necessary M we an
technically a. war with Germany.
However tho senate has ratified n
separate treaties with our enemie
b. and they now De upon Preslder
u iinfdlnrH desk. awaiting his signatur
.ih 'fhc present emergency" ends n
instant that those treaties are promu
nr stated, After such action by the Pres
hu dent the roads cannot be tafen ov,
nt without Congress passing addition
Il. legislation, which would be pr,
.or uaotcd affair.
'ai Thus n the Railroad Labor Boa
cd tails utterly 70 avert the strike. Pres
IA dent Harding has these courses op,
Go him' lie may take over the RAJ
a. ruads In the name Of the Governme
nd under the act of the Congress. A
u fust 90, 1919. But IL peace with o