The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-06-24
THE ILLINOIS NINE WAR.

ncer and In the twnkng OF an eye reverted to
prlmevnl form. TIE ruthlcssncss Of German
warfare IN Belgium convulsed the world with
horror and prcjudccd that world against the
dcspolcrs to such nm extcnt that years will be
required TO mellow It's judgments "wednesday
and Thursday OF this week the striking miners
Of the Southern Illinois district committed out
RACES every whit great any German COM
mitted IN Belgium. while the civil authorities
either looked complacontly on aided and
abettsd tho ormos being committed.
what are we going 10 do about ~ What IS
government going to do about the issue under
lying this outbreak Of savaEery an Issue which.
through the cowardlce Of government s grow
Ing moro monaclng each passing doy7 That is-
sue must be met and settled II government is to
endure. ~ cassism Is not TO take the place OF
government and might yield 90 right
The right OF any citizen OF this republic TO
earn his bread by labor and on terms agreeable
TO himself and his employer without consulting
any other citizen or association OF citizens, Is
no fundamental and clear that It does not even
permit debate It IL the contention Of union
labor that this fundamental right OF American
citizenship may be abrogated; that union labor
has a right 10 require that citizen must first
Join tho union before he can work; that II no
does retuSe 10 JOIN tne unloH anu hCS'p'h 'Hi-
ployment on n job that the rnion has aban-
doned, his life may he declared forfeit.
There Is the great issue underlying all such
incidents as took place In Illinois: underlying
the union labor philosophy everywhere. IT IL
an issue that has not been faced squareiy either
by government or the union leaders. and yet 1t
must be so faced and settled Certain II Is that
tho fundamental Of the constitution. touching
gtnA rIpht ~ avpFy individual.
cannot be respected II the contention OF union
labor is to he respected. To attempt a solution
OF the labor problem without first settling this
issue Is to attempt riding two horses going In
opposite directions.
But there other phases OF this Illinois
defiance OF government and the rights OF both
nroperty and citizens The inflammabe human
material which took fire there and famed into
a raging torrent OF savagery. consuming the hu-
manitarian instincts of women. children ana
men, was in most part spawned in Europe The
section affected is dominated by foreigners VINO
in turn are dominated by skilled, eelf-seeldng
leaders both political and Industrial
The reports say that the counties directly az
fected are 100 per cent union, and the hap
penings OF the last few days disclose them to be
100 per cent lawless and 100 pcr cent disoyal
20 orderly government. This is very sad COM
mentary on tho effects OF union labor domina-
tion. Both John L. Lewis and Samuel Comp
ers reprobate the massacre which took place.
both say that the men got beyond their control
Wha, is the answer to such an alihiY
Put II must not he understood that the sole
blame rests with one side. Thus far we nave
been considering academies and theory Wheh
we pass to n consideration OF human nature
especially such human nature as exists IN
mine district peopled by the children OF Europe
whose creduty and simple -mindedness are
MAYED upon by self-seeking and altogether uan-
gerous political and labor leaders. 1t Is easy 10
discover condonlng circumstances II not )usuii-
cation.
These foreign miners were out on strike oy
aor when the mine operators shipped into
their properties strike breakers from the uh-
derworId OF Chicago. set guards ABOUT ana
n,aced machine guns at points Of vantage inc
q fuse lighted for the explosion which came IN
ape time. Precisely here was where govern
ment was guilty. The duly constituted aHthori-
ties should have protected the property OF inc
mine operators II they were within the law anu
their rights in operating them, so that an out
break would have meant civil war Instead OF
Rrivate controversy.
The cowardice OF government and IT'S agents
in such respects is really at the bottom OF most
such outbreaks. The property OF even cor
poratIon is entitled to the same protection a'
the hands OF constitutional government as y
your home; and when government refuses 10
take instant cognizance Of an issue sueh az mas
existed In the Illinois mine regions for weeks
extending ample protection TO the phSs''a,
nroperty involved on one side, the persons ana
the personal rights involved on the other the
CONTROVERSY becomes a personal one between
the two opposing forces and both are impeheo
hv circumstances. or at least invited by cir
.,.a. On a,sreeard government entirely
ana attempt settlement along their own lines
Wa have SAID frequently In these columns
,,o now reneat with added emphasis the dis
" hetMant, LIZ