The Holly chieftain., 1922-08-31
THE FATE OF THE
HELPLEss PUBLIC

and by the people to experience
the great strikes that have helt
the land in its deadly grip since
last spring. The great mass OF oul
people are neither members Of la
Dor unions nor employers OF sucf
labor, but we lie supine in the
helpless grip of small minority
Every citizen desires fair play fol
both organized employer and or
ganized worker, but not at our ex
pense Of blood nd treasure, especi
ally when the "buck" is passed
along to the public. We are moi
out of sympathy with the just
rights of the worker nor the rights
just ss important Of the empl0ye:
OF labor; but we do insist tina,
these two parties have no right
to play the parts of bandits ant
hold us up. The great strikes O'
the past summer have been wor g
than q war. A war may foster
patriotism and cooperation in a
people, strikes foster only strife
dissensions and hatred. War may
inculcate thrift, good will and in
ventive genius, strikes destroy ere
dit, undermine character and hinder
achievement. War may build uT
great industries that may after
wards aid in retrieving losses
Strikes demolish factories, ruin
business and entail economic loss
on worker. producer and consumer
1t hits the farmer who can moi
move his crops, the small manufac
turer who is not Immediately in
terested in the quarrel, and especi
ally the suffering public who pays
tho bills.
Nor would we object SO strenu
ously II labor was really gaining ::
thing. Already labor has lost NOR;
than all the increases she asked
for If she had gotten them. 100000
me mare now out on strike. at 81
loss of 100000 day in wages. I'll
would take 100 men working. contin
uously for 800 days q year five year
TO offset , single days loss at thft
rate" remarks the Mountain States
BaAker. The strike has involved
100000 railway shop workers, 573
COO bituminous coal miners, 155,0Gc
anthracite coal miners, $1,000 textili
workers, besides men in building
trades, clothing industries. print
shops, etc. And now there is an
ominous rumor of a nation wide
strike of all workers Of America
That will mean war between Labor
and Capital with the Public for the
great sacrifice 1t would be thu
most senseless, useless war the
world has ever seen. No man can
estimate the enormous loss II
would entail Who would gain by
it. Labor can not toll without the
investments of capital an dcapital
Is powerless without the co-Opera
tion of labor If one could destroy
the other it would be killing tn
goose VIII lays the glden egg.
surely in q nation of enlightened
people there must be someway tt
reconcile these two antagonists
Siamese twins whose rending asun
der would destroy civilization. !:
it because Congress is filled with.
protagonists for eithe side, with M
champion for the public welfare
that no basis for solution of tn,
problem can be found by our Law
makers? Then let us select mei
big enough and broad enough t,
represent us. Let the two big par
tics take warning! Unless this ma
tional problem is solved and tina;
right soon, both the old partie'
will speedily pass into oblivion
Party loyalty is fast dying; the old
issues do not interest us; neithc
one of you have given us what YOU
promised-we have not forgotten
We want action, that will give II
relief. We have asked for bread
and you have given us stone
VIC lisp our shibboleths but the
bunch crossing the stream is now
too big to be turned back. Who
cares whether Tom, Dick or Harry
is President. Governor or Lawmak
er. II all he has for us is an itching
hsndshake.
The writer Is no socialist. He has
always voted for the regular party
car didates-for the best man avail
able as his own Judgment DICTATED
IL hoo ,o1,ar ha1{oyo6 In nllhliC