The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-08-10

ance with the best impressions OF
our modern civilization.
Instead OF contemplating the re-
sort to force. II anticipated the very
opposite-industrial peace with jus
tice 10 every man concerned. Instead
OF aiming at involuntary servitude"
TO which you inexcuseably refer, the
government asked the mine workers
to resume their activities, in res
ponse to a manifest public need, al
precisely the same wages and under
precisely the same working condi-
tions as those under which they had
been working contentedly for the
last two years. Those who spoke
for the mine workers refused such
a proposal. There Is no dispute OF
the right to refuse. Since they de-
clined to respond and since II Is
GOVERNMENT MUST BE BASED
believed there are enough men who
love this country and cherish its
security. and believe in serving
the common welfare, to come TO the
relief OF the mining situation and
avoid suffering. priyation and para
lysis, ! asked the Governors of the
coal mining states to invite mine
operators and mine workers to re-
sumo their activities and TO promise
that to which every man is entitled
TO. namely, protection in his lawful
pursuits. This protection applies
alike TO the men on strike who OBJ
serve the law and make no lawless
interference with men at work
and to men who are lawfully at
work and entitled to protection by
every agency OF government in that
work
"If you mean to challenge the
Righteousness of free men to be pro-
tected in their lawful pursuits against
interference and violence, | will be
glad to join you in submitting that
question to the decision OF the
American people.
at will interest yo uto know that
instead of the governments action
being an expression of the prefer
ence of the capitalistic class, Il has
been quite as much opposed by those
who speak for employers as il is By
you and your associates. Govern
ment undertakes to represent neith-
er class alone, and is opposed to all
| conflict among classes, and dis
putes the right OF any group or
class organized or unorganiZed to
impell American welfare Govern
ment speaks only for the American
people as a whole and the common
good of all its citizenship.
'In view of all that the govern
ment has done or attempted to do
during the past year and a half 10
relieve the American farmer from
the burdens of readjustment and
to relieve labor from the hardships
of unemployment, know your at
tempted appeal to American preju-
dices will fall on deaf ears. It is
ungrateful and it is untruthful. II
you are the believer in peace and
harmony and the reign of justice
which you would have believed, /
invite you now to pass judgment
on the failure OF the mine workers
TO accept the awards of an able
and impartial commission in de-
termining the merits of the dispute
between the coal miners and coal
operators, and / invite you to urge
the striking railway workmen TO
accept the decision of the American
Railroad Labor board, acting under
authority of the law, which must
be supreme, and return to work un-
der that decision until you and /,
and every one else interested in
asking the Railroad Labor board
to give a rehearing on any question
concerning which there is reason
able doubt about the correctness or
the justice of the decision made.
These are the ways of peace, these
the the requirements of enlightened
civilization, these are the things ex-
pected by. your government of its
loyal and law-abiding citizenship
WARREN G.. HARDING"