Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-08-03
With Our State
Contemporaries
GOVERNMENT VERSUS UNIONS

GOVERNMENT VERSUS UNIONS
In declaring a national emergency
as result of conditions growing
out Of the coal and railroad strikes,
the government has taken an extra
ordinary step which has had the
immediate effect of bringing the
situation sharply home to the coun-
try. But the action does not alter
the actual status of affairs in the
least. Things really are no worse
today than they were yesterday,
merely because Washington has de-
fined them. On the contrary, the
action ought to help conditions by
clarifying them.
The nation can now regularly and
intelligently mobilize its resources in
order to fight the monstrous threat
to its safety and prosperity that has
been gradually rolling up before it,
This threat though not as dangerous,
is quite as real as the threat of the
world war, and its potentialities as
trouble maker are very great if it is
not checked.
1t can be checked if the govern
ment will use its power, and will
make those who are causing con
fusion and trouble, understand clear
ly their position before the nation.
Action ought not to be merely
defensive. Beside fighting for its
comfort and prosperity, the nation
| faces the task of asserting its
sovereignty so that no class OF
people, employers or employees may
hereafter think they are bigger than
the country privileged to flout the
rights and interests of. the general
public. While so far as the railroad
strike is specifically concerned, tho
issue is directly between the strikers
and the federal administration. The
question is which of the two forces
is the bigger, and which is to rule in
this land. And regardless of what
may have been the original merits OF
the shop workers case, matters have
reached a point where the govern
ment simply cannot afford to surren-
der 1t should do justice, but its su-
premacy should and must be main
tanned.
We turn aside for a moment to
view special condition sharply IL
Illustrative Of the general one. Taking
as a text the notice by President
John l.. Lewis of the United Mine
Workers to Governor Groesbeck that
! if the state of Michigan wants to
mine coal it first has to make salts
factory arrangements with the min
ers' union like every other employee
The Boston TRANSCRIPT in recent
editorial asked as many others are
asking, who is sovereign in this
country, and concluded a discussion
Of the point with the remark that il
is perhaps well TO bring the matter
TO the test, and the sooner the better.
Said the Transcrip, "Therc may be no
better time than this TO determine
whether the power Of the people as
expresser through their constitution
al agencies of state and nation is SUI
preme in this country or some other
organization or corporation.
/ The reply which Governor Groes-
beck has received from T. Leo Jones,
hear of the Saginaw Valley Miners
Association in answer TO his request
that the men of his organization re-
turn TO work under state control in
order to furnish fuel for state and
municipal institutions, indicates that
the Transcript did not exaggerate the
meaning Of Mr.. Lewiss statement of
his unions position. Mr.. Jones's re-
ply is uncompromising and insulting
1t is utterly lacking in any consider
alton for the people Of Michigan
1t is, in its essence an ultimatum
which contains no vestage of public
spiritedness or loyalty to the country.
The only allegiance Mr.. Jones ac-
knowledges is an allegiance to his
union and its president. :
Under the circumstances there is
one thing left for the governor of
Michigan to do if he. performs his
full duty and that is to make it clear
to everybody that the. state is sover-
eign within its own borders and is
able and is prepared to defend itself
There is prevalent a condition of
necessity before which the private in
terests of the coal miners must give
way. The people of the state will
stand behind Mr.. Groesbeck in any
measure he may consider necessary
in order to meet that necessity.
And what is true of the situation
in this state is true of the situation
generally throughout the nation. 1t
Is up to the federal government to
assert itself and the rights CT the
people by any steps that are needful,
and to do 50 Immediately. America
has right to expect its government
to protect it from enemies at home as
well as from enemies abroad, and to
do so energetically and aggressively
Detroit Free Press.
WUX TT &c TIJDEE