The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-25
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC y. HAsKRS. DireCe@r.
Washington. d. Q.
ANOTHER COAL STRIKE
POSSTRIE

mas greeting for the Am erican peo,
pie, but it gives them something to
think about. The trouble is that the
American people do not like to think
about anything disagreeable until it
actually happens.
a year ago when the devastating
peared inevitable the public was
warned. It was also told. of the
strong possibility that there would be
railroad strike with disastrous con-
sequences. But the public refused to
get excited over the prospect Appar-
emily there was a general idea that
those who sound warnings 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
to defer dealing with it until it be-
comes a reality.
Both strikes came as scheduled and
the price the country bafd ana is Still
paying for them will never be meas
ured. Before they were over the pub
lie had become sufficiently excited to
satisfy the most eXacting, but the ex-
citement consisted chiefly in venting
indiscriminate and unintelligent con-
demnation on the parties to the
strikes and in criticisinS government
officials for not settling the contro-
versies overnight
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 for
get all about them.
Well Informed observers believe
that both strikes might have been
averted had the public been sVffi-
ciently aroused and made it clear that
there was an overwhelming popular
sentiment that would not tolerate such
industrial upheavals. Neither employ
ers nor employees care to precipitate
such crises when they know that the
public mindeis dead set against them.
In the-fong run, they know, their well
fare depends upon the good will of
the public. and they also know, if the
public does not. that a thorolyNaroused
and hostile public opinion is more ef-
ficacious than anti-strike laws
Get Ready to Cross the Bridge.
Indifference or heedTessness on the
part of the great mass of the people
toward threatened industrial catastro-
phes is based apparently on the phil
osophy that you can't cross a bridge
until you come to it," That is a homely
maxim that has been much used and
much abused. 1t is just as safe a guido
to thought and action as other gen.
eralizations. of which the soundest is,
mo generalization is wholly true, not
even this one"
1t is n physical fact that we cannot
cross a bridge until we get to it, but
it is equally a fact that we can get
ready to cross a. bridge before we ap-
proach it. 1t is even possible in some
cases to avoid crossing a bridge that
is dangerous by making a slight de-
tour.
So it is that those who are calling
attention to the likelihood of another
coal strike next spring and summer are
trying to arouse in the public the
wisdom of getting ready TO cross the
bridge. They believe that If this can
be done and a sufficiently impressive
popular opinion is stirred up it may
not 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
demned and a better way found over
or around the chasm before them.
In fact. it should be possible to COM
pei the operators and miners to fill
in and close up the chaSm- 1t should
not exist. 1t is a constant menace to
the general public, and to the coal
industry itself.
1t is not important that it be de-
termined which side dug the chasm or
what upheaVal created il. The oper-
and vice versa, but it is certain that
it cannot be blamed on the public or
held to be "an act of Providence"
Public Has Been Negligent.
The public can be held responsible
only for permitting it, to continue to
Members of the coal commission, alive
to the difficulties of their task of
pointing the way to the stabilization OF
the coal industry, are thoroly con-
vinced of that fact and they are seek
ing to dispel the apathy. ignorance,
or whatever it is to which this negn-
gence is due. Hence the warnings
that another coal strike is possible,
if, indeed, not highly probable.
Investigation to date has disclosed
little beyond the fact that the oper-
ators and miners. especially in the
branch of the industry,
are virtually as far apart as they We're
a year ago, or when the recent strike
was at its height Each side is just
as insistent on its own demands and
just as unyielding to the demands OF
the other.
that of an armistice while both sides
prepare for a renewal of open war
fare AS vet there has been little pre-
tense of negotiations looking coward
real and permanent peace.
tors and miners are cooperating now
in the production of coal In fact,
they are fairly feverish in their ef-
forts to get out the largest possible
every day and every Wee, MeeH |
and new production records are being
established. They would do even bet
ter if they could get all the cars they |
could use and adequate transportation |
facilities to move the coal from the |
mines to the consumer.
However, the significant thing in
connection with this is that it is 1
simply putting both sides in better
shape for the next fight. Both |
miners and operators are making |
more money than ever before, the |
former because they are working full /
.mie and overtime at the highest |
wage rates they have ever had. and /
he latter because they are selling /
pre- coal and getting higher prices
.han ever before save in one brief 1
period. The result will be that both I
sides will have fu1l war chests by next |
spring and will be ready to renew the /
strike
And the poor. inert. Indifferent !
public is filling those war chests
feeding and strengthinE the beast that /
S TO prey upon it,
Coal does. not cost a penny a ton /