Evening journal., 1922-08-22
STRIKES AND oRDnNALITY.
% the Editor of The Evening
Journal. Wilmington, Del:

To the EDITOR OF Inc GNehAhS
Journal, Wilmington. Del:
Your editorial OF last evening en-
.itied Arbitration or Anarchy, In
>'hich you quote over a column from
he Railway Age, hits the nail
squarely on the head, insofar as II
analyzes conditions. But as for the
remedy. arbitration. IL you mean a
board appointed by some political
functionary, to hear both sides of a
capital and labor controversy and
then decide the issue. 1t will never
work because such boards never de-
eide a question on its merits; the
tendency of a board is TO split the
difference" give each side a fifty
fifty cut, Notwithstanding the proper
decision would be one giving one
side or the other all or more than
were asked. The labor unions have
learned how TO beat the arbitration
game. The current miners strike
affords a good illustration. II is
well understood that labor should
liquida-, the same as business has
had 10 do. TO bring things down TO a
new workable basis. Business liqui-
dated at a cost to itself of millions;
some of the largest corporations OF
the country were entirely lost to their
original owners or stockholders be-
cause Of crushing losses sustained n
liauidation. The Goodyear Tire and
Rubber Company of Akron, Ohio. is
a case in point. But the powerful
labor unions like the United Mine
Workers Of America decided not TO
submit to taking its share of the
necessary liquidation. so in order TO
avoid q cut in wages its leaders de-
manded an advance of 20 per cent,
a six-hour day and a five-days week.
as against a proposition from the Op-
orators to accept a 2l per cent. cut.
Then when It came TO negotiations.
or II it had come to arbitration, the
proposal would be TO split the diff
ference, leaving the miners wages
Just where they were. which was all
they wanted and more than they had
a right TO ask. but the partial set
tlement, Just effected. shows they,
won out on the subterfuge. thus
beating the arbitration game.
Arbitration. meaning a settle
ment OF differences based on the
merits Of the case. and as is con-
templated by the Industrial Court
Act Of Kansas, is something diff
ferent. That should be the idea, for
it is founded on justice and right and
not on an inequitable split idea such
as the miners have won out on.
But the miners and labor gener-
ally are rapidly opposed TO industrial
courts, for the simple reason that it
takes away from them their best
weapon, terrorism, the use Of club. J
bullet and intimidation; preventing
BY IA r means or foul anybody else
from working al the Jobs they them
selves refused to work at.
Thanks 10 the attitude OF the gov
ernment during the war the balance
of power is now with labor. They
propose 10 hold the advantage until
forced 10 relinquish it.
And how can they be forced to re-
linauish Il? Only by settling up a
balance OF power against them. su-
perior 20 their own power. VIII and
can the government accomplish it?
It's a question. II is rumored that
the reason the President was re-
&C ntly so anxious to settle the mine /
and railroad strikes. on terms that I
were unfair TO loyal labor. was that
his secret -rvice had reported for
two years past that labor organiza- |
tions. the army, the militia, the
police were so honey
combed with Bolshevism, founded
upon the Don't shoot your brother
that the government is
really az the mercy, more or less OF
the radicals and must placate them /.
IN order 10 gain temporary truce ,
from their attacks.
Italy was in just that position |
after the war. And what saved the I
Italian government? The organiza-
ton known as the Fascist. body Of !
the best citizens OF the country or
eauized TO oppose communism. But /
It is said the Fascist are going TOO /
far: that they propose to take !
over, the government themselves. I
The organization in power, whether !
Il be a Fascist, a Communist, Ia !
bor organization, or capital VIII /
always go too far If it has the power (
II seems TO be human nature 10 go ,
as far, in aggression, as ones power
will permit 4 proper balance OF
power is the only preventive from
aggression from one source or an
other.
The writer does not believe the