The Washington times., 1921-09-08

sell at certain
times. their competitors in other
States. ..H 0..r r.sg .
Consequently. when there have been
controversies on In unionized regions.
between the unions and the owners
and the unions have been beaten, they
have attributed their defeats and their
unsatisfactory conditions to West Vir-
ginia non-union competition. D
They have then sent delegates to
West Virginia. to try to induce the
miners who were already at work
there to unionize themselves, or to
take part in a widespread strike for
the establishment of certain terms in
the industry in general.
Old Story Repeated.
These delegates have been roughly
excluded. The hiring Of desperate
gunmen by the mine owners has con.
stantly increased. Murders have re.
suited. The State government has
been in the hands of the mine own
ers. The man who was elected presi-
dent of the National Mine Operators
Association at their last meeting, a
very successful and able man. Is
practically the boss of West Virginia.
This is not a new story. II re-
peats Colorado and plenty OF other
places. But there is one difference.
In the other regions the operators
have gotten along by changing the
nationality Of their workers whenever
one set became Americanized enough
to want to combine for self.protec-
ton.
In West Virginia and in the fields
from which come the delegates who
take part in the controversies the
mines are worked by Americans. The
L.- NSa
O set of thoroughly American work.
men from doing any combining them
selves, while they are ruled by large
combinations Of investors. 10 not a
promising one.
Immigration Law . Factor.
Moreover. this aspect Of the whole
union question promises to gain in
importance. The new immigration
law and immigration laws as they
are likely to be henceforth. will pre-.
vent the wholesale importation Of un-
educated foreign labor to break down
the standards and the self-expression
demanded by labor that has become
Americanized.
What we see in West Virginia,
therefore. we shall see more ard
more in all those Industries that are
fighting for the great principle that
capital ought TO be a vast, intficately
combined force debating to body
OF laborers who can be treated as
helpless units, forbidden any COM
bination that gives them experience
and bargaining power.
1t will not be so very long, under
restricted immigration, before the
Steel Trust itself will be, unabls to
maintain its hitherto successful fight
against unionization
In the minds Of more enlightened
business men the truth Is juss the
opposite from the assumptions OF
Judge Gary, the earlier assumptions
of some other big capitalists who
have been capable Of learning, and
the present assumptions Jof the West
Virginia operators. The enlightened
conclusion from experience is that
the stronger the union the greater
the stability Of the business.
1t Is weak unions, or lack of
unions, that make the greater vol.
ume Of trouble. This principle. like
any other principle, may be offset
by special considerations, as for ex.
ample, where an employer is able to
offer his people such special advan.
tages as Henry Ford offers them:
or in less spectacular degree.
Standard Oil.
In the coal troubles the blame Is
by no means all on one side. 1t
never is, and shall go into detail
tomorrow about some of the negotia-
tons carried on by the present Ad.
ministration In the hope OF starting
a curative movement. In their sullen
attitude toward such suggestions capi-
tai and labor have been both lacking
in imagination.
But It is just as well to bear one
general truth in mind. 1t is always
the fellow on top who has to bear most
of the blame; 1t Is he who deserves to
bear 1t.