Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-10-30
Monday, October 80, 1922.
JOHN D. JR. AND LABOR

WIN WV NV
Those of us who are hunting money
with which to pay the bills for the
coal are really too busy to bother
our heads at this particular moment
whether some of the coal miners may
or may not have all the comforts
of civilization. Some are painfully
aware these cold mornings of suffer-
ing from lack of the full amount OF
heat which they have come to regard
as one Of the essentials to a persons
we'll being and happiness. They would
not shed one tear if they knew the
coal operators and miners were in a
like condition of restitution.
OF course this view point may be
all wrong and one should shrinkingly
hide behind a mantle of goosehcsh.
Not so John D. Rockefeller, Jr. He
speaks as one glowing from the
effects of a generous slice of that
Standard Oil melon recently cut.
Probably he has been able to get coal
and doubtless his valet isn't COM
PEELED to break ice to obtain water
for shaving. His heart goes out to
the coal miners down in Somerset
County. State of Pennsylvania, who
declare they will freeze and starve
in their tents on the hillside rather
than take wages higher than the
union scale and go back to work in
a non union mine. We admire their
grit. We would admire Mr.. Rookie
Teller more if he were down there
shivering with them on the bleak
hillside.
But before having our digestion
impaired by a harassed sympathy
we would like further information.
Though it seems to be conceded that
the mine owners of that place are
autocratic-and we don't like that
in anyone and don't believe this is
the kind Of a country that is healthy
for autocracy-and it is also said
the working conditions are not as
good as they should be although the
present wages are tempting, we
would like to know what about Penn
sylvania's laws regulating such con-
ditions? 1t also would be interesting
to know what the union mine cem-
petitors of those hard boiled" oper-
ators are doing. Are they contrib
uting out OF their boards to the cause
OF the miners trying to break the
non union mines? If not, why not,
as the non-union mine is formidable
competitor Of the union mine. It was
the non union mine that kept on
mining coal when, for all the union
mine operators and miners appeared
to care, the country might freeze.
1t is easy to acquire prejudices
especially where conditions are ia
vorable, but that is bad for all con-
cerned. The public should know the
truth respecting Mr.. Rockefeller's
position. IT is clear that he Is a
stakeholder in some of the concerns
the working conditions of which he
criticises. This is favorable to his
plea and supports the position to
which he evidently aspires, namely.
that of a far-seeing, fair-minded
capitalist. 1t is but fair to him to
take for granted that be sincerely
believes in humanizing the condition
of labor where that has not been
done and that he Is convinced such
procedure would favor employer and
employee alike in the end. There
are many who believe with him.
They may not see wherein he has
prescribed a sure cure, but they
should welcome the effort. also the
rebuke in his words for those who
would exploit labor, for such are no
less enemies to sound public welfare
than are the labor indictments.