The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-08-10
GOVERNMENT SPEAKS ONLY
FOR WHOLE PEOPLE AND COM
MON GOOD OF ALL CITIZENSHIP

Washington.-In connection with
the strike situation President Hard
ing received a telegram from a Mr..
Dean, Chairman of the Railway
Employees Publicity Association,
which charged the Republican ad-
ministration with being hostile to
the American farmer and the
American laboring man; with plan
ming to reduce both the laboring
man and the farmer to a condition
of involuntary servitude by the use
OF military forces and by driving
men to work on the railroads or in
the mines against their will.
President Harding's Immediate re-
ply by telegram to this demagogic
charge is probably the most severe
public utterance he has made since
he became the nations Chief Execu-
tive. He stated in his telegram
that he was convinced Deans at
tempted appeal to American preju-
dice would fall on deaf ears. II is
ungrateful and IL is untruthtul" He
informed Mr.. Dean the military
forces of the United States would
not be used to coerce anyone to
work against their will and that
arises, Is to prevent lawlessness.
He informed Mr.. Dean that the
right to quit work was the heritage
OF every free American, but equally
sacred was the right of any free
American to accept employment up
ON whatever terms he chose and 10
be protected In the pursuit OF that
employment. The President pointed
out that the charge that the ad-
ministration Is lining up with the
Capitalistic class to crush the labor
er and farmer Is a statement that
is wholly false and In the particular
strike situation now existing the
decisions OF the government had
been protested by capital quite as
vigorously as they had been pro-
tested by labor,
The President continued: Gov
ernmeut undertakes to represent
neither class alone, and Is opposed
TO all conflict among classes and
disputes the right of any group OF
class, organized or unorganned, to
imperial American welfare. Gov
ernment speaks only for the Ameri-
can people as a whole and the
common good of all its citizenship. -
In conclusion. the President says
20 Dean:
"If YOU are a believer in peace and
harmony and the reign of justice
I invite YOU now to pass judgment
on the failure OF the mine workers
to accept the awards of an able
and impartial commission 'and
| invite you TO urge the striking
railing railway woTkmen 10 accept
the decision of the Railroad Labor
Board. acting under tbs authority
of law which must be supreme .
These are the ways of peace, these
are the requirements of an enlight-
ened civilization, these are the
things expected by your government
OF it's loyal and law-abiding citizen
ship"
The telegraphic correspondence
between Mr. Dean and President
Harding follows:
President Harding received the
following letter from j. Cleye Dean,
Chairman OF Railway Employees
Publicity Association:
Hon. Warren c.. Harding, Presi-
dent, Washington
81 wish TO point out TO YOU that
the railway employees and miners
who are on strike are loyal Ameri-
can citizens and are not executing
their constitutional rights. A large
percentage OF them tough, on Eu-
ropean soil that there might be no
more war, and for you or any Gov
ernor to attempt to operate the
mines or railroads by military
forces or to attempt 10 draft men