The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-04

Ond. Dem.), IAN agreement can
scarcely be reached; for neither
the operators nor the public can
expect the miners to propose, of
their own initiative, a wage scale
which will meet the present wishes
of the mine owners"
That the operators are favorable
to a strike is the corollary of their
refusal to have a conference with
the miners, in the opinion of a
number OF papers. Operators will
attempt to establish the open shop
partly because of the pressure OF
defiation and partly because they
see in an ill-timed strike oppor-
tunity to enlist public sympathy in
their fight on the unions" says the
Peoria Transcript Qnd), and the
New York Globe Und.) states that
"a number of coal operators are
said to welcome the opportunity,
since those who oppose unioniza-
ton seem to think that the pres
ent season of unemployment and OF
slack demand would be favorable
to their purposes.
A Life and Death Struggle.
The inevitable consequences of a
strike, in the opinion OF the Salt
Lake Tribune (Rep), will be a life
and death struggle for the preser-
walton of the union" since, as sum
married. by the Newark News Qnd.
there is ''non-union capacity
equal to from four to five-sevenths
of the present law average output OF
soft coal"
The Scranton Times Dem-) in
the heart of the anthracite region
doubts if the hard coal workers
who are 100 per cent unionized
ARE in a position to stand two OF
three months of general unemploy-
ment," and believes it would be
natural" for the mine owners ste
delay signing a new agreement
until after April 1, force a suspen-
sion and reap a harvest through in
creased prices on the coal they al
ready have on hand"
In the face of such poSsibili-
ties" says the Christian Science
Monitor Boston, Ind. ''it is not by
any means reassuring TO be told
that administration at Washington
is taking no present steps to meet
the situation" and the New YorE
/ Call (Soc.) recalls that two years
ago ''the government grabbed the
miners by the neck and broke the
strike" and wishes to know
whether this same government
will take the mine owners by the
neck" Both Sides" says the New
York Times (Ind. Dem.), feel the
need of federal action" and "to the
public at large, most of all, thai
need is obvious"
The Washington Post Qnd
thinks if the parties in dispute fail
to cooperate willingly" it may be
necessary to impress upon then
emphahcally that the public has an
interest in the subject which is
paramount to any private or class
interest" 1T will not be sufficient
for the government tc
exert itself to bring about a read
| justment of wages" thinks the
Manchester Union Und. Rep.): "it
is quite as essential to stamp out
| practices in the marketing of Goa
! which are unsocial and unecon-
omic." The Washington Star lind. J
is persuaded that IF strike does
come it is right that the public
should remember that the miners
are not wholly to blame. So LONG
as buyers of coal, industrial and
! private, neglect to cooperate in sc
sensible and SO necessary a re-
form of methods (as to make the
industry continuously, they must
bear their share Of the reproach."
That the miners work only
about $50 days a year is the out.
standing fact in the whole contro-
yersy," says the Chicago News
! (IndD, statement that leads the
Chattanooga News (Dem.) to con.
clude that IF enough coal for the
country can be mined in working
half time, it indicates that more
men than necessary are engaged in
mining coal"