The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1922-09-15

policy of determination there can be
only ultimate moral defeat.
Since the beginning of the open
shop campaign many employers have
sought to take advantage of techni-
calities in order to set aside agree
ments and substitute an arbitrary re-
gime for the method of joint agree
ment in the settlement of labor ques-
tions. In not few cases agreements
have been set aside by employers
on very slight pretext.
Lack of Fundamental Integrity
The present coal strike involved
the violation of pledge to enter
into conference for the negotiation of
a new agreement. In few, if any, of
these cases can it be said that the
blame falls exclusively on one side.
But the tendency to regard an agree
ment as sacred and binding when it
is advantageous to do so, and to seek
every means of repudiating it when
the greatest economic advantage is
to be secured by such a course, indi-
Gates a lack of fundamental integrity
which is all too prominent in the in
dustrial world, and which augurs i'll
for the future.
Another serious aspect of the labor
situation is the growing hostility of
organized labor to the courts. A
large number of injunctions of the
most contrary character against
strike activities have been issued in
the past year, which have been
strong resented by labor as aimed at
depriving the unions of their chief
method of defense. The strike is in
its nature so drastic a weapon and
its grave possibilities are so far
reaching that it is difficult to secure
on the part of the public or of the
courts a balanced judgment in time
of crisis.
Labor finds it's position rendered in
secure by the unpredictable attitude
of the lower courts in particular con-
troversies. The protests of the labor
unions against government by in
junction" which are often intemper-
ate and sometimes unjust, are not
without ground and call for careful
and sympathetic consideration
Blight of Twelve Hour Day
The nation still carries the moral
burden of the 12-hour day in the steel
industry, affecting large numbers of
workers. The officials of the United
States steel corporation have given
the public reason to hope that Sc
rious effort will yet be made to eradi-
cate this acknowledged evil, as has
already been accomplished by some of
the independent companies. Appar-
emily it will require the continued mo-
raj pressure of the churches to COM
plete the reformation of the industry.
There are, however, distinct signs
of hope and progress in the industrial
situation in America. There are ear
nest and courageous employers at
work on constructive experiments,
There are employers organizations
and labor unions that are conquering
the old psychology of fear and force
and are seeking more social ends by
much more social means. The work
ers' education movement and the new
interest of labor unions in scientific
research give much promise.
The press, sharply criticized, and
often justly so, for partisanship in
labor disputes, shows signs of greater
fairness and discrimination and in
some instances of moral leadership
| The new role that is being played
by the religious press in this connec.
tion is especially gratifying. Ane
withal, the voice of the church is be-
ing heard with unquesticnably greater
respect and influence.