Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-01
is THERE NOT A BETTER WAY
TO SETTLE WAGE DISPUTES
Tho Coal Strike Seems 20 Be Ending
Where II Began with No Beneht
TO Any One, but Win . Great
Lose TO the Country

Lose TO the Country
TT IS impossible to learn exactly what the
coal strike has cost the country because
of the difficulty IN the wsy of getting all
the facts.
Experts IN Washington, however, have
begun to make estimates which they admit
to be inadequate.
The loss in wages of 100000 miners can
be computed with considerable accuracy.
II is put at $3.50, 900.
The loss to the operators in profits Is es-
timated at 100000, 600
The direct cost TO the public in the in
creased price which has been paid for coal
is put at 500 900 900.
The loss to the railroads in freight
revenue is 100000, 900.
And the increased cost to the country
from now until April Of next year for the
coal that II will consume IL put at $780,
900. 600.
This makes total Of more than a billion
dollars
No account is taken of the loss to workers
in industries which have had to be oper-
atod on part time or closed altogether be-
cause Of the shortage Of coal. Nor is
loss to business In general because of the
decreased purchasing power of the idle
workers included.
Now. the question which ought TO be
seriously considered is whether the strike
has been worth what it has cost. Under
the plans for its settlement the workers ire
to return to their jobs at the old rate of
wages. The operators wished to reduce he
wages and the miners wished to have them
increased At least they professed this
desire. A 20 per cent reduction was pro-
posed by the operators and a 81 per cent
increase was asked by the men.
There were here all the elements needed to
compromise on the existing rate last April,
the compromise which is now in the process
OF making. But neither side was willing
to make any concessions last spring. And
they make concessions now only because
public sentiment is forcing them to 1t.
The expectation is that within few days
the employers and the employees will be back
just where they were on April l. with
nothing TO show for five months idleness
save tue tiuEulpus loss 10 themselves ana 10
the country.
What has been achieved is not worth a
billion dollars TO any one.
II ought 10 be possible for intelligent men
to devise some plan which will prevent such
great losses in the future. They have not
yet learned, however. how to profit BY ex-
perienCe.
Although every strike is ended by neso-
tiations between the two parties to II and
although most Of them end with no advan-
tage gained by either side It seems to be
impossible to escape n period of idleness
and economic loss every time a wage agree
ment has TO be renewed.
Impossible claims are made by each side
at the beginning, claims that neither side
expects 10 have recognized Then there is
period Of strife during which the men try
to c0erce the employers and the employers
try To coerCe the men. And finally there Is
delayed agreement on wages and conditions
of work after negotiations which might have
been carried on successfully without any In
terruption Of work
OF course, this comes about because of
the conflict between selfish interests and
because Of the lack OF sense of public
responsibility in the minds of the parties
to the conflict. The employers want TO in.
crease their profits by reducing wages TO
the minimum for which inen can be induced
to work and the men want to increase their
wages to the highest rate which they can
force the employers to pay.
Indeed, Samuel Gompers has been known
to say that there is no maximu~ wage short
Of the total product Of labor which will
satisfy the men. He made this statement
when he was asked whether fixed per
centage Of the gross receipts Of a business
would be acceptable as the wage fund for
that business. lie would consent to no
fixed percentage.
The necessity for capital to earn diyi-
dends forces the trustees Of the capital TO
combat this position Of labor. And the un-
satisfied hunger Of labor for higher wages
forces 1t to combat the trustees Of capital
every time there Is new wage adjustment.
But there must be some way out OF this
intolerable situation, especially when II
affects the essential industries. Industrial
war does not produce any benefits which
could not be secured in fuller measure nv
peaceful industrial negotiation. There has
to be negotiation anyway, even when there
is war. 1t is by negotiation that the war
is ended.
Why can II not be prevented by negotIa.
tion2 Are men so unreasonable that they
cannot find way to keep industries in op-
Grafton? Are they so Indifferent to the gen.
eral good that they are willing to sacrifice
| It while they make vain attempt to get
| by force that which II justifable they can
much more easily get by negotiation?
The time Is coming when the public in.