Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-28

Washington. Dec. 25.-Members OF
the commission headed by John Hays
Hammond, who are investigating the
coal industry, experts in industrial re-
~lations and a few far-seeing govern
ment officials, are sounding the warn
ing that another coal strike may fasten
its p%aralyzing grip on this country next
summer. That is not exactly a pleas
ant Christmas greeting for the Amerl-
can people, but it gives them something
to think about. The trouble is that the
American people do not like to thlnk
about anything disagreeable untn u
actually happens.
A wear ago, when the devastating
strike that came last summer appeared
inevitable the public was warned. It
was also told of the strong possibility
that there would be q railroad strike
with disastrous consequences. But the
public refused to get excited over the
prospect. Apparently there was a gen.
eral idea that those who sound warn
ings Of that kind are only croakers and
''glooms' who seek to take the JOY out
Of life and that anyhow the way to deal
with an unpleasant prospect is TO ~
more ito defer dealing with 1t until IL
becomes q reality. D.,
Both Strikes came as scheduled and
the price the country paid and is sun
paying for them will never be measured.
Before they were over the public had
become sufficiently excited to satlsIy
the most exacting, but the excitement
consisted chiefly in venting lndlscriml-
nate and unintelligent condemnation on
the parties to the strikes and in critl-
cising government officials for not set
Ting the controversies over night.
When the strikes were called off or
temporarily adjusted it is to be borne
In mind that there were no permanent
settlements-the public sighed with re.
lief and seemingly proceeded to forget
all about them. -.
Well informed observes believe tnat
both strikes might have been averted
had the public been sufficiently aroused
and made it clear that there was an
overwhelming popular sentiment that
would not tolerate such industrial up
heavals, Neither employers nor IN
ployes care to precipitate such crises
when they know that the public mind
is dead set against them. In the long
run. they know, their welfare depends
upon the goodwill of the public, and
they also know, if the public does not,
that a thoroughly aroused and hostile
public opinion is more efficacious thar
anti strike laws.
Get Ready to Cross the Bridge
Indifference or heedlessness on the
part of the great mass Of the people
toward threatened industrial catas-
trophies is based apparently on the
philosophy that you can't cross a
bridge until you come to it, That is
A homeiy maxim that has been much
used and much abused. It is Just as
safe a guide to thought and acton as
other generalizations, of which the
soundest is, No generalization IS
wholly true, not even this one
1t is a physical fact that we cannot
cross d bridge until we get to it. but II
to cross a bridge before We approach
it, It is even possible in some cases
to avoid crossing a bridge that is
dangerous by making a slight detour.
So it is that those who are calling
attention to the likelihood of another
coal strike next spring and summer are
e~ndeavoring to arouse the public to the
wisdom Of getting ready to cross the
bridge. They believe that if this car
be done and a sufficiently impressive
popular opinion is stirred up it may no
be necessary to cross the bridge when
the time comes.
That bridge spans the chasm that
yawns between mine operators and
mine workers. A strike is an exceed
ingly unsafe bridge. 1t should be con
demned and a better way found over OF
around the chasm. In fact, it should
be possible to compel the operators
and miners to fill in and close uE
the chasm. 1t should not exist. 1t is
a constant menace to the general pub
lie, and to the coal industry itself.
1t is not important that it be de-
termined which side dug the chasm OF
what upheaval created it. The oper-
ators may blame the miners for it
and vice versa, but it is certain thai