The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-10-30
A VICTORY FOR GOVERNMENTS

The calling off OF the railway strike by the
various railway labor organizations was a great
victory for government. The given Is
significant;
1--WE could not defy the authority OF the
United states. We thought We were hit
ting nj the railroads but found our attack
was really directed against the government.
We Il would be futile to carry out
strike orders
These were the words OF L. =. sheppard,
head OF the conductors lie explained further
that the entire government at Washington was
against the strike and the strikers and that
public opinion supporting the government
'Under such circumstance he concluded,
there was nothing to do but annul our orders
for tho strike
We say It was great victory for govern
ment and sound public opinion, showing be-
yond the peradventure OF a doubt that this ma
tion is sound and thoroughly committed TO law
and order And the recall Of the strike makes
an effective government instrument OF the rail-
way labor board; fact which goes a long way
towards establishing the doctrine that labor
has no pccullarity OF interests which render It
immune to the same orderly processes in set
Ting disputes are imposed on all other In
tercsts and factions Of human society.
The report of the final conference OF the labor
leaders says. The railway labor board was the
trump card Of the government in the fight to
avert the strike but the department OF justice
was It's ace In the hole" This tcrminology will
be clear to those familiar with the American
game OF poker. 1t means that the department
OF Justice was preparing to take instant and
decisive action aga!ns. the labor leaders for any
untoward event which may havo followed tho
actual strike, and was further preparing to hold
said leaders accountable in courts OF competent
jurisdiction for any interruption OF mail or
train service,
For this action the department Of Justice de-
serves the thanks or the country Seeing tho
effect this frnncss on the part OF government
had on the defiant labor leaders It Ia possible 20
understand just how much was lost when every
branch Of governmept went flahby under sim
liar threat Of a strike few years ago and the
congress weakly yielded the Adnmson law Not
an the ground lost by that ipdefonsiblc official
action has been recovered, but much ~ It has
been recovered.
The country cannot expect 10 escape further
defiance in the future, but such occasions will
become increasingly rare, finally ending IN a
general acceptance OF the sound doctrine that
no faction Of human society can set itself above
the law and tho orderly processes OF courts
Labor disputes sooner or later will he adjudi-
Gated by judloial tribunals just as all other
disputes are now adludcatod. Tho strike and
the boycott are weapons which mus, be out
lawed precisely as the sword and the pistol We're
outlawed when duels We're forbidden, As this
country could not remain half bond and halt
free. so now it cannot be permitted to con
tinue half lawess and half law abiding. Every
strike is a conspiracy 10 innict damage; tho
boycott is confessedy that and nothing more.
J Neither nor the other oomprehends in the