The Washington herald., 1922-07-27
TEXT OF HARDING'S REPLY
TO STRIKE PUBLICITY CHIEF

The difference between the two
positions is that the striking
railroad workers exercise their
rights of free 1om in seeking to
hinder the necessary transporta-
tion of the country: notwith-
standing the provision made by
law for the consideration of any
just grievance: and the striking
miners seek to prevent the pro-
duction of coal necessary TO COM
mon welfare. Notwithstanding
the offer of an agency to make
an impartial settlement; while
the men who chose to work in
response to the call of the coun-
try are exercising their like
rights and at the same time are
making their contribution to
our common American welfare.
Decisions Are Legal.
The decision of the Railroad
Labor Board are in compliance
with a mandate of the law
making body of the United
States. Without discussing the
decisions at issue. it is fair to
assume that a government
agency is ever ready to correct
an error which is made, else
government itself would become
unjust. Moreover, it is indis-
putable that here can be no
government unless its mandates
are accepted by the citizenship
of the Republic. This observa-
ton relates more particularly
to the railroad situation. When
the mining situation became
menacing l invited representa-
tives of the mine-workers and
the operators to a conference.
They came together; they were
advised as to the call of common
welfare. yet in eight days of
opportunity no progress was
made. In the absence Of any
tribunal authorized to settle
disputes between mine-workers
and their employers the Fed
eral government then voluntar-
lily proposed the creation of a
national commission before
which disputes might be settled
justly. in the light of full in
formation and in accordance
with the best expressions of our
modern civilization.
Anticipated Industrial Peace,
Instead Of contemplating the
resort to force, it anticipated the
very opposite-industria peace.
with justice to every man con-
cerned. Instead of aiming at in
dustrial servitude," to which
you inexcusably refer. the gov
ernment asked the mine work
ers to resume their activities, in
response to manifest public
need. at precisely the same
wages and under precisely the
same working conditions as
those under which they had been
working contentedly for. the
past two years. Those who
spoke for the mine-workers re-
fused such a proposal There is
no dispute of the right to re-
fuse. Since they declined to re-
spond. and since it is believed
there are enough men love this
country and cherish its security,
and believe in serving the COM
mon welfare, to come to the re-
lief of the mining situation, and
avoid suffering. privations and
paralysis, / asked the goyer-
nors of the coal-mining States
to invite operators and mine-
workers to resume their activ-
ues. and to promise that to
which every man is entitled.
namely, protection in his law
ful pursuits. This protection
applies alike to the men on
strike who observe the law and
make no lawless interference
with men at work. and to the
men who are lawfully at work
and entitled to protection by
every agency of government In
that work. If you mean to
challenge the Righteousness OF
free men to be protected In their
lawful pursuits against inter-
ference and violence, will he
glad to join you In submitting
that question to the decision Of
the American people.
Opposed by Capitalists.
II will interest you to know
that. instead of the covo~rv.....ts-