New-York tribune., 1922-03-26


~ Harding, Congress or Providence
intervenes In some drastic and sur
,r.;ng fashon-and Providence muat not be
,,sd unon too much In such matters--thc
..;on workers In the worst regulated basic
,.,r.trv of the United States, the production
), eoal. viii quit their jobs.
.,.uv effective the next day, April l, they
All remain away from the said Jobs until ono
), three things happens, to wit,
The pressure on their pocketbooka forces
,ss,, 70 return to work on their employers
terms.
2. The pressure on the pocketbooks Of their
.mployers forces the latter to ask them to re-
e,rp to work on their own terms
8, The PRESSURE on the pocketbook Of Old
poo Public forces him to press the govern
nent TO compel both sides to resume business
| At the old stand--on any terms. just 80 long
:. that result can DO accomplished.
Strike Is International;
Canada inUoiUed
IN many respects the strike is scheduled 10
ss one Of the most important In the history Of
economic conflict in the United States Among
other things it Is going to be the first general
strike ever staged in the national coal indus
tn. It will be international in scope as Can
ola Is involved. It will be by far the largest
will be the greatest struggle in connection
with the country's industrial reconstruction
since the war; In this respect 1t Ia heralded in
some quarters as the much-swaited test Of
strength" between the forces Of organize
capital and organized labor In the nationwide.
tight they have been waging for economic
supremacy. Twenty-three states and three
Canadian provinces will be directly affected,
Win the central competitive field, compris-
Mg western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and
illinois, as the chief battle-ground.
On one side are arrayed the mine operators
and owners, controlling the 10000 bituminous
hines and the 3oo-odd anthracite collieries of
lie country, properties representing billions
Of dollars In investments and many millions
annually in profits. They have the financial
lacking Of some Of the most powerful banking
Interests; In the case Of the anthracite COM
mnies, which are the most highly organized,
it - l.>$z-
shich link them with number Of the rail
nads, including all the hard coal carriers, J.
|P Morgan g. Co. and the National City Bank.
In addition, they are being given the support,
moral if not otherwise, of hundreds Of cham
bers Of commerce. merchants associations,
employers organizations and the like, taking
IN several groups whose chief occupation
frankly is union busting"
Standing back Of the miners Is their union,
the best organized unions Of the country, and,
according to reports, possessing millions Of
dollars In it's war chest" 1t is headed by
John l. Lewis. unquestionably one Of tho
most able leaders that the labor movement has
yet produced, shrewd, adroit, resourceful and
Q dangerous opponent either at the bargaining
table or on the industrial field Of battle. He
Is fighter among fighting men, for there is
something about work In tho mines-the rug
gsd physical attributes demanded and reck-
sessness born of the constant hazards to life
snd hmo--which develops frst-clsss fighting
qualities among the workers Besides these
advantages, the miners have pledge Of full
mpport from the American Federation Of La
Dor and the millions Of workers holding men,
Se'ship III Its $4,000 local unions, given by
oamue Gompers, Its president.
Come what may" says Mr.. Gompers, "the
american labor movement Is with the mine
workers in their struggle against the mine
owners"
Sack of Striking Miners
Are 2,0O0, 900 Railway Men
ADDED to this, the mine workers will re-
SeVe q Onwarf,,1 no p,orol IL uof Gpan.