Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-11
BRlTAIN'S NEWEST CRISIS

TNOpAl news of temporary compromise
- in Britain between the labor fcdcration's
leaders and the representatives of the gov
crnmcnr will crafty all people everywhere
to whom great strikes appear quite aS cruel
and quite n unsccntihc ms war Had the
industrial ti"-up in England been permitted
to spread We should have heard great deal
Of passionate rCcrimination on both sides
and reiterated charges of oppression and
disoynty. Noisy and bitter criticism would
continuc 10 obscure an underlying condition
that for almost a year has tried the soul Of
the government and the souls of the workers
in England
Th" temporary paralysis of tho industrial
lifc Of Europe inequalities of financial CX.
change and attendant uncertainties in all
lines Of business. brought upon a great coun-
try WrHricd by war tho additional Affections
of widespread idIcnCSs and. finally. this
threat of industrial chaos. In crisis of
this sort few men can bc temperate or wholly
just. But to talk Of revolutionary plotting
and Of boIshCviSm in England is 10 miss
altogether tho significance of tho strike.
In th" background are the usual hordcs
Of protitcrrS who managed to keep living
costs at n high level. even while innumcrnblc
artificial and temporary restrictions of trade
and commerce compelled many Of the larger
employing groups to choose between bank
ruptcy and policy Of widespread wage rc-
durion> Their" probably arc few men in
tn" British Government or among tho trades
union leaders who do not earnestly wish to
bring the whole question of labor and wage
rcadiu~tmcntS TO n peaceful settlement.
Nnw tho strike has been called and it will
have tragic aspects no matter what the out
bp tbo ,,;, g,,r
IN" government into an attitude Of SURRENDER
tho prestige Of tn" whole governmental order
in England will be seriously impaircd-and
impaired Mt a time when it needs the con-
tinuug respect and confidence of all people
at homo and abroad.
Should the government. with the aid of
volunteers and the military establishment.
OvurWhClm tho strikers in n war of lOCkOutS
aud general attriiOn. it will hav" achieved
victory Of force rather than n victory of
logic and reason. It will win nj tho cost
Of putting powerful and conservative labor
groups A. well uN the moro radical ones. in
tn" category of outlaws aud opponents of
the state.
Both sides ar" therefore in n false light
since British labor is essentially trmperat"-
minded and the government in its relations
with the unions has been essentially liberal
premier lhuNu 'cOrgc ana tnc UNION leaders
were caught between the devil of protitccring
and the deep sea of hard times. and they
wcr" forced against their will into open
conflict.
ON every side there was misunderstanding
and Suspicion instead of frank and open
negotiations. There was drift. The unions.
like tho minc owners. were eager to obtain
new and unfair advantages out of tho gem
rral confuSion The government sought n
peace Of compromise. but no one wanted
compromise and IN" mon and their employers
found themselves finally in rage and in
II" mood to do anything but fight. As n
consequence Of all this the government has
had 10 iutorv"n" in n way that suddenly
Opened ynwning chnsm between organized
labor In England and the unorganizrd public.
To close rather than open such dangerous
gaps IN the social and economic order Of the
times is tho aim Of rational mon every
where. Nowhcr" i the policy of reason and
reconciliation better appreciated than in
Eugland That is why tn" present strike
~rrm, 50 infinitely rcgrcttable.