Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-08-31

cording to government statistics,
there were 10,254 strikes in the
United States. This is the score
which indicates the nature of their
conclusions:
Won by employee 3,5l4
Won by men .-.-..-...-.-.~.....-.--.3,ll 2
Compromised ....-..~...--....~...-- 3,627
What could more eloquently de-
monstrate the futility of industrial
rebellion? What could more peril
nently indicate the strikes lack of ad-
vantage for all concerned? The
science of life insurance has taught
US that mortality tables" are a safe
criterion by which to measure ex
pectancy. What is the lesson Of the
mortality tables" of strikes? Just
this: that those engaged therein,
whether on one side or the other of
the equation, have just one chance in
three of victory. In other words, the
average strike is, at best, only a
three to-one bet. If the good judg
ment of Americans does not revolt
against acceptance of such one-sided
chance, the sporting sense" should
hesitate TO embrace such an unequal
speculation.
These 1O,254 strikes (Which, in to-
tai outcome, practically represent an
even balance between Labor" and
Capital') cost total Of 246,485 lost
days Of work The computation of
wages thus lost by Labor" would be
tremendous-an in all human prob
ability would more than counterbal-
ance all the gains in the 3,112 strikes
which Labor" won. The computa-
ton of profits lost by Capital
would be equally tremendous-and
in all human probability would more
than counterbalance ali the savings
in the 3,515 strikes which Capital
won. Meanwhile, the computation of
wholly uncompensated public losses
Incidental to these strikes would
complete a sad balance sheet.
Why, in the face of such exhibits,
should any advocate support the doc
trine that strikes are a paramount
advantage to anybody-least of all
to Labor? Why should not Labor
be among the first factors to demand
Of organized society that it find and
create a better agency for protecting
Labor's right of industrial petition,
for establishing industrial equality,
for guaranteeing industrial justice,
and thus for futhering industrial
peace? We confess to total lack
of understanding why every sugges-
tion for establishing legaliZed indus
trial arbitration should be hastily
and promptly assailed by Labor
spokesman as an assault upon some
thing Of paramount advantage to La
Dor. If we can assure the integrity
of arbitration (and that ought not to
be impossible), it would seem to The
Herald that the establishment of
legalized preliminary industrial arbi-
tration ought to be hailed by Labor
as a new measure of emancipation.
The Herald has frequently advert
cd to the International Typograph-
cal Union as a type, in times past, Of
worthy and useful Labor organiza-
ton rs it has functioned in a vast
majority of American newspapers.
How has this 81. T. W chiefly sue
ceeded in making the vast gains for
itself which it has recorded in years
gone by? Oh, no! First by, collec-
tive bargaining: second, by arbitra-
ton in the event Of dispute; third by
the sacred execution Of contracts re-
sultirg either from bargaining or
arbitration. There have been excep-
tons to this rule, Of course; but
every exception has been a disadvan-
tage to the Union. But about year
ago it launched upon strike pro-
gram in job shops to get the 44-hour
week. President Mcfarland says it
has won this short week in 521 union
jurisdictions; but he also says that it
STRIKES benefits" and he adds-"it
will be seen that the cost of a strike
financed as this has been makes it
almost prohibitive." We venture the
assertion that when the az. T. u
balances its books, it will find that
its Cancellation" policies have
brought it infinitely greater advan-
tage than any of its ''strike policies;
and so long as both employers and
employees have the disposition to be
mutually fair, this must be the re-
suit In other words, it will always
be true that just mediation holds as
great an advantage Frequently
greater) for Labor as for any other
factor in the industrial equation.
We are undoubtedly far away
from the Legal establishment of this
doctrine in private trade. But we
are drawing constantly nearer to its
establishment in essential industries
upon the uninterrupted operation Of
which American life and livelihood
depend. Grand Rapids Herald.
CARD OF THANKS