Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-05

among labor leaders. Profoundly ser
ious and with measured WORDS ths
captain of industry replied; Tho rniy
good Indian IL dead Indian"
on the other hand, a man who has
been at the head Of one of the iargest
Of the labor unions declared within the
last few days that the newspapers ana
press associations Of the country were
in virtual conspiracy 10 nisrepreeent
labor's couse 20 the public and we're
constantly distortlng the news in order
10 create n popular sentiment adverse
TO labor and 10 the unions.
"ff anything happens that il favor
able to US you never SEQ word about
Il In the papers," he said. The press
associations won't carry the story and
the papers won't print g."
All employees and all leaders n labor
are not - blinaly prejudleed as these
two men, otherwise the only way cap
ital and labor would ever be brought
together would be in a head-on col
! lision. Unfortunately, however, the~e
two men are multiplied many times In
the industrial world. thereby adding i'm
measurably 20 the difficulties OF tho@s
who seek 10 preserve peace or 70 re-
concile differences once open conflict
has been precipitated.
Everyone who has undertaken The
role of mediator or arbitrator IN
| labor dispute knows only too well that
there are two sides to every case and
| that neither side has a monopoly of
right or Of virtue. In the present rail-
| road controversy, for insta nee. ernPha-
sis Is frequently laid on The fact tnat
the shop men refused TO abide by a de-
cieion NJ the Railroad Labor Board and
| went on strike In violation Of that de-
cison. Those who make point pf
that should be informed that the fret
refusal 70 abide by decision or order
Of the Board came from the managerial
side when certain railroads undertook
arbitrarily to put wage decreases into
effect while the Board had ruled that
such action should not he taken pond
Ing lts hearing and determination of the
question. Later other roads ignored or
violated other rulings OF decisions II
tho Board.
All who dlscufs this rupture IN the
relations OF railroad management and
workers should also know that there r
nothing in the law that requires eitiner
side 70 accept or 20 abide b. decisions
Of tire Labor Beard
Again. in the case os the coal rtrikr.
those who criticize the minors for not
. accepting Presi6ent Hsrding's peaca
proposal should understand that "a
, matters stood the miners had practi-
! csliy won their strike and had good
, reasons for not wanting 20 take the
, chance Of having tho fruits Of victory
taken away from them by an arbI.
tretion commission. They had fought
9 long and trying fight and surely were
1. entitled 10 all Of whatever success 81
had brought 70 them.
q At the same time, the friends Of th.
: miners should understand that II IN,
q workers had been conceded everything
II they were striking fora nations
agreement. tho old wage scale. and IN.
. old working rliies--they would be n
:, better off than they were prior q
April ! for nothing would have bee'
3, done TO cure the uBeconomio con
ditIons in the coal industry, Withou
. etabilizatiOn Of the industry and with
out some solution OF the problem Of th
!. non-union districts. the lot OF the unio
: miner will never be a satisfactory one.
Thus the case IL made for tolerenc
: Of the rights and opinions of others s
times OF open conflict between worker
and their employers, and for the de
> velopmsnt of an Intelligent publ
opinion that can bs brought to bsa
when needed.