The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-11-16
TRUTH OF COAL
INDUSTRY is
MADE KNOWN
Thomas r. Marshall for
Friendly Feeling
Toward Men

commission was outlined in an adj
dress here tonight by former Vice
President Thomas r. Marshall, one
OF its members, as based upon a
determination to lay bare the
whole truth about the coal indus
try in such a way as to promote
fliendlier feelings between employ
erS and employees who bitterly OPP
posed each other this year in a
five month strike.
Out Of the investigation, Mr..
Marshall said, there might well
come a realization that every
business has a patriotic side and
that no laborer can regard his
business as exclusively private. He
suggested that "organized self-con-
tfol," rather than government pro-
ceGure, was the objective to be
sought in a democracy's relations
with its people.
"The experiences of recent years
have been sufficient in number"
said the former vice president, who
spoke before the Detroit Bankers
Association, "to justify the state
ment that this democracy of ours
only can be called ideal if it be
maintained by the organized self
control of the people. 1t is hard
ly a democracy if large bodies of
its people are compelled to do
What its government demands at
the point of force. Organized self
control does not mean that if
people do not voluntarily govern
themselves, government will cease
Government of some kind will new
er cease to be among this people,
and the existing government, if
ncedful, will Justify itself by force
OF arms.
81 assume that, in view of the
relations | have to the coal fact
finding commission, you have
more than an idle curiosity to
know the attitude of the commits
! sion.
at has neither thoughts nor pur-
pose of being awed by influence
or bought by gain. Its members
have no political fortunes to
serve, and their private welfare
can be effected but slightly by
whatever may happen. 1t enter
t;ins no malice, envy, or ill-wlll
against a soul on earth. 1t pul-
poses in the finding of facts, to
begging the investigation under the
belief that all the contending fore
es have a sincere desire to assist
in ascertaining the truth about
every element entering into and
every condition surrounding the
! business. 1t does not purpose to
be suspicious 0 C~enSorlouS but
lit does intend to see that it shall
not be treated as though it were
a court of law before which parties
litieant are appearing, each striV-
ing to conceal some fact of advant-
are TO the other side, and each
seeking to cast discredit upon the
other. 1t has been promised, and
so far believes, that it will receive
the honest assistance of both oper-
atoi and miner in the effort to
ascertain the truth, the whole
truth and nothing but the truth,
hewing to the line, letting the
chips fall where they may.
"Out of assistance of this kind,
if it shall be given, as the weeks
so by and the facts develop, it
hopes to promote d friendlier feel
ing than has heretofore existed be-
tween the operator and the miner.
This is a great economic question,
but it is more than that-it is a
great patriotic question. Of course
the inquiry will be valueless unless
out of it the real facts can be
found and justice may be done,
p~caceably if it can, forcibly, if it
must. But what an impulse to the
lifting higher of the standard of
the republic it will be if out of it.,
each of these contending forces
and ultimately discover that there
is . patriotic side to every business
conducted in America, and that
they rise to the highest types of
American citizens who so adjust
their business grievances in accord
ancC with the principle of organic
ell s~elf-control as to render unnec-
esSary any governmental interior
ence whatever.
"There is a public side to this
question. In all our calmer mo-
mcnts, when not actuated by greed
or hatred, no laborer of the repub-
lie dare to consider his business as
exclusively private in its relations
to the welfare of the nation. De-
mocracy spells not alone private
ownership-it spells also public
welfare. And the action of the pub
lie in all of its business transac-
tions viii have much to do with
the ability of the commission to
promote a friendIier feeling be-
tween the operator and the miner.
Ore of the weaknesses of the large
publicity given to American affairs
is the proneneSs of the business
man of America to form his CON
ciuSion either from newspaper u
NOR or from an isolated fact. The
commission hopes and believes that
the sober second judgment Of the
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