Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-07-28
HARDING SOUNDS WARMING
Workers Advised to Return to Their
Jobs.
GRIEVANCES TO Be CONSIDERED
President Denies That Government is
Trying to Put American Labor
Under the Gun; But Says That the
Military Will be Used to Prevent


| Violence.
washington, July 26.-Responsibility
for further interference with transpor-
tation and with production of vitality
needed coal was placed upon striking
railroad employees and miners today by
President Harding in again suggesting
that they return to work under condi-
tions already suggested by him while
the reasonableness Of their demands
were being threshed out by the
agencies set up for that purpose.
Replying to telegram sent him by
j. Cleave Dean, chairman OF the Rail-
way Employees Publicity association,
Chattanooga, Tenn, charging that the
administration was attempting to put
American labor under the gum" by its
policy toward the industrial distur-
bance, Mr.. Harding said:
President Harding Makes Reply.
"Since you speak as chairman Of the
railway employees publicity association,
and since it is exceedingly important
that the American people know pre-
cisely the questions at issue In the
present railway and coal strikes, am
more than glad to answer your tele-
gram, though l can only treat your
politically partisan references with that
contempt which is felt by every good
American citizen in the hour OF deep
public concern.
Happily for the American public
everything done and everything said by
government authority relating to the
two strikes is a matter of record. and
cannot in any way be distorted.
There is no dispute about the loyal
American citizenship of the men on
strike, nor will anyone question that
many of them gave everything that
men can give for the service of this
country in the world war. Nor Is Ii
disputed that the men on strike are
exercising their constitutional and law
full rights, under existing statutes. in
declining to work under the terms de-
ci6ed by the railroad labor board or
rendered to the workmen by the mine
operators Of the country. No one has
attempted or proposed to draft free
men into either the railway or mining
service, or suggested coercion under
military force.
"The military forces Of free America
are never used for such purpose.
Their service Is only that Of prevent
ing lawnessness and violence. That
came unchallenged freedom which per-
mits you and your associates to decline
to work is no less the heritage Of the
free American who chooses to accept
employment under the terms proposed.
The difference between the two posi-
tions is that the striking railroad work.
ers exercise their rights Of freedom in
seeking to hinder the necessary trans
portation Of the country, notwithstard-
ing the provision made by law for the
consideration of any just grievance;
and the striking miners seek to pre-
vent the production Of coal necessary
to common welfare, Notwithstanding
the offer of an agency to make an I'M
partial settlement; while the men Fho
choose to work in response to the call
'of the country are exercising their like
rights, and at the same time are maxi
ing their contribution to. our common
American welfare.
Duty of Government.
1.-THE decisions of the railroad labor
board are in compliance with a man.
date of the law making body of the
United States. Without discussing the
decisions at issue, it is fair to assume
that government agency is ever ready
to correct an error which is made, else
government itself would become un-
just. Moreover, it is indisputable that
there can be no government unless it's
mandates are accepted by the citizen
ship of the republic.
This observation relates more parti-
cularly to the railroad situation. When
the mining situation became menacing
invited representatives of the mine
workers and the operators to a con-
ference. They came together, they
were advised as to the call of common
welfare, yet in eight days Of oppor-
tunity no progress was made. In the
absence of any tribunal authorized to
settle disputes between mine workers
and their employers the federal gov
ernment then voluntarily proposed the
creation of a national commission be-
fore which the disputes might be set
tied justly, in the light OF full infor-
nation and In accordance with the
best expressions of our modern civili-
ZatiOn.
Instead of contemplating the rest t
to force, it anticipated the very OPP
poste-industrial peace with justice to
every man concerned. Instead OF aim
ing at involuntary servitude,' to which
you ineXcusably refer, the government
asked the mine workers to resume their
activities, in response to a manifest
public need, at precisely the same
wages and under precisely the same
working conditions as those under
which they had been working content
edly for the last two years.