The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-04-13
SEES BORAH'S
BIG OPPORTUNITY
NEW YORK sun CALLS ATTENTION
TO POSITION OF INFLUENCE
HELD By IDAHO SENATOR

HELD By IDAHO SENATOR
The following article. appearing in
a recent issue of the New York Sun
under the caption "a Great Opportun-
ity for Senator Borah, lis of interest
to Idaho people:
Senator Borah has never been an
opportunist in politics, but opportunity
just now has thrown in his way a role
which he seems willing to assume,
and the Importance of which he ap-
pears to realize, judging from his
statement in yesterdays sun with re-
gard to the reforms demanded in the
coal mining industry. Two things
combine to give his comment immcdi-
ate and concrete significance. One is
the Inauguration of tremendous coal
strike, which is bound to exercise a
depressing and weakening influence
upon other industries and upon bust
ness restoration, even if it does not
extend to the whole field of labor
And the other is Senator Borah's re-
cent succession to the chairmanship
of the Senate Committee on Education
and Labor, made vacant by the re-
/ tirement of Senator Kenyon, of Iowa
Ordinarily, this craftsmanship might
not be regarded as position of domi-
mating influence, but under existing
conditions a man of force and leader
ship like BOrah may make it a power
that may profoundly affect labor and
industrial policies and interests not
only in the sphere of coal mining but
indirectly in many others. A great
opportunity has come to man about
whose honesty, ability and courage
there is no question.
What the Senator says in the state
ment published yesterday is the
thought that has been in the public
mind for many years. eff the coal in
dustry is not reorganized in the inter-
est of the public" he says, ''it will be
up to the public to try the experiment
of public ownership. I do not under
estimate the task which the public
will assume when it undertakes this
But l doubt very much if the public
will much longer submit to the pres
ent method of operating the coal
mines The present strike is the symp-
tom. The disease is the chaotic and
the shamelessly wasteful method in
which the industry is now being car
ried on. Of course, this chaos and
waste are unloaded on the public at
exorbitant prices. There is no pos
sibie explanation nor justification for
the price of coal at the present time
other than that of waste, bad manage
ment and unconscionable profits
The public finally pays for all these
things, and the reckoning in regard to
this coal industry is not alone between
the operators and the miners but be-
tween the coal industry and the pub
Iic."
Here is proclamation from
source which the operators will be
wise to heed. Their own irreconcilable
attitude has created a critical stu
alton for them such as has never here
tofore existed. The great majority of
thoughtful people have not advocated
Government ownership of mines in the
past and with their experience of
war management of rail
roads they may hesitate to embark
even on what Mr.. Borah calls an Eek
pertinent But public sentiment On
the subject will be determined vely
largely by the temper the operators
exhibit in the present crisis Millions
of consumers believe that the oper-
ators have been making ''unconscion-
able profits" and that their greed is
largely responsible for the prices un-
der which the public has been groan-
ing and protesting. They have lost
patience with what they regard as a
group of privileged and projected
profiteers, and they might reconcile
themselves to a dangerous expert
ment," if the coal operators do not
sincerely cooperate in policy of
greater efficiency and smaller returns.
We have reached the point al which
a comprehensive and practical indus
trial philosophy that will eliminate
certain obvious and costly evils of cp-
Grafton. must originate III some quar-
ter, and if it does not receive It's yolun-
tary initiative in business leadership,
it may seek less desirable sponsorship
in Government legislation. Without I'm
due interference Senator Borah's COM
mittee may be able to exercise de-
Gliding Influence upon future Industrial
policy. He is in a position now to
throw the issue of an industrial code
and industrial constitutionalism into
place in the public
thought at any time he cares to do so.
He is the hero of two great parlia-
battles in which he was de-
feated, but in which he has gained
rather than lost prestige. And though
he opposed the Pacific treaty it is
admitted that it was he who led the
way to the Disarmament Conference.
Now he has the chance to do what
the Administration has admitted it
self unable to do-to force another
conference by pressing
such industrial legislation as will pro-
tect the public from the vices and op-
preston of the present mining system.
/ There is no task more worthy of
true liberal than that of clarifying
and rationalizing this whole labor
problem for the popular intelligence.
No one is better fitted for the task
than Borah 1t is not as spectacular
as the international work he has been
doing 1t is equally important. Borah
as relentless realist in the economic
problems of the country would find
public opinion as an elemental, un-
challengeable force behind him, and