Evening star., 1922-09-25
Present Industrial Situation Re.
quires Strong Measures,
Say Party Leaders.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

iepuUiiCdH uTill oI tHrouShout tiiie
part Of the state. This doesn't mean
the people are pro o-democratic. Hun
dreds of republicans who are dissatis-
fed with the President and with the
republican Congress will frankly say
so. What will happen in 1924 de-
pends, OF course, on two years more
of performance at Washington, and
much can always happen to retrieve
political loss. But for the momen t
the anti-republicanism will manifest
itself In two ways: A return to the
democratic party Of many who left
1t in 1920 and protest against re-
publican mistakes by staying away
from the polls altogether.
Result of Strike Move.
No general inferences can be drawn
for the rest of the country from the
situation here, for there have been
many local factors to influence politi-
cal thought. For one thing. the busi-
ness men and stanch republicans
who felt on Friday last that the
Harding administration hadn't been
firm enough in handling the rail
strike awoke Sunday morning to find
that the government had been grant
ed an, Injunction of far-reaching i'm
portance In the history of Industrial
conflicts in America. The street car
strike here, accompanied as it has
been. by acts of violence, has accentu-
ated what might otherwise be a nor
nal reaction to Washington's be-
havior in strike crisis.
Talking to Fred Greiner. republican
boss of Erie county, the writer heard
vehement denunciation Of lawless
elements in America and prediction
that unless courageous men fought
for law and order the nations futurs
would be imperiled.
Mr.. Greiner feels that Gov. Miller is
one Of the few who is alive to the
dangers of the situation and that the
speech made by the governor at the
state fair the other day upholding the
activities OF the state constabulary
in labor riots was Napoleonic Mr..
Greiner would like nothing better
than q clean-cut issue on law and or
der, but unless the democrats nomi-
nate for governor a man who takes
umbrage at Gov. Miller's course and
caters to the many labor elements
which have been antagonized by the
any such clarified politics this fall.
If Al Smith is nominated by the demo-
Gratis the campaign may turn largely
on personal popularity. and Al Smith
is very popular.
One couldn't help asking Mr.. Greiner
much he attributed the present ten
dency to override the law in, labor
troubles to the fragrant dlsrespect of
the law which the bootlegger has
propagated. And Mr.. Greiner answer
ed that he wouldn't be surprised if
weren't on the Increase because of it.
He senses more unrest than two years
ago and insists that the big battle of
the epoch between labor and capital
is yet to come.
Naturally Mr.. Greiner is for Gov.
Miller and naturally he would be one
Of the first to support President Hard
indicated the slightest desire to run
for Office again. but it's easy to see
that the admiration for the New
York governors attitude toward labor
troubles is more or less the same as
that which endeared Calvin Coolidge
Massachusetts, and elsewhere. Mr..
Miller is looked upon distinctly as
presidential calibre-and' II reelected
this fall will be a factor in the presi-
Dental contest of 1924. always as
suming that Mr.. Harding should VOL
UNFAIRLY withdraw.
All republican leaders of expert
ence, however, feel that Mr.. Harding
is entitled to the nomination for a
second term II he wants 1t and they
admit it would be political suicide to
choose anybody else because such a
step would be reputation of a re-
publican administration by the repub-
licans themselves and would court
disaster at the polls.
Most of the dissatisfaction here
abouts with the administration can
be attributed to industrial issues.
The conservatives think Mr.. Hard
ing's course has been wishy-washy
he has attempted to handle the prob
lem with kid gloves instead Of with
a meat axe" They criticize him for
trying to please everybody and argue
that such course means pleasing
nobody. The labor elements on the
other hand, think the federal injunc-
ton process has been abused.
strike are the effects Of both on
transportation and the fuel supply.
One shrewd republican leader fears
mostly tho sudden appearance Of a
cold snap between now and November
7. If cold weather comes before tho
coal bins are even partially filled. the
disposition OF many voters will be to
punish the party in power. Gov.
Miller will feel 1t as will also the
candidates for Congress. The public
has an undiscriminating way Of ex-
pressing its protests.
From all indications Congress will
be Judged harshly. Again and again
one heATS Tie SAy VI ouS-
standing DONE" Republican leaders
and organisation men privately con-
cede that they expect greatly re-
duced majorities for their candidates
This is a republican stronghold. but
the drift of anti-republicanism which
has set in will make republican con-
gressional candidates hump to win.
The situation here differs from that
in other parts Of the country. where
grievances were expressed at the pri-
maries and punishment rendered. The
organizations in both parties here
dominated the primaries. The total
vote in this section will be smaller
and the protest or anu-republican
vote will be divided between orepub-
lican stay-at-homes. socialists. demo-
Gratis who deserted their party two
years ago, and some straight demo-
cratic gains. y,
Copyright. 1927