Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-08-05

Washington, d. c., Aug. 2-Toler-
ance is a virtue too little practiced in
labor disputes by the parties directly
concerned and by the public when
| suffers inconvenience. hardship or ac-
tuaI loss as a result of the c%ontrover.
sizes. Incorporate condemnation OF
one side by the other or by outsiders
is altogether too common Facts are
m~isstated or distorted through passion.
Opinions are based on prejudices rath-
er than on information and sound Judg-
ment and conclusions are formed that
are premature and ill-advised.
These are statements made by a man
whose profession has brought him INTO
close contact with the conflicts between
capital and labor for several years. lie
went on to say that one of the great
needs of the present time is not My a
better understanding between employer
and employed but a better understand.
ing by the public of the problems of
| industrial. relations. In fact, until an
enlightened and sound public opinion
has been established there is little
hope for anything even approximating
permanent industrial peace.
Hence it is urged that the citizen
who is sufficiently interested to discuss
the railroad strike or the coal strike,
and to express his views with respect
thereto. should take pains to inform
himself as to the essential facts IN
connection with these great labor con-
flicts. The fact that he has been IN
convenienced by the dislocation in the
transportation industry does not justify
the conclusion that either railway work
ers or railway arrangements are wholly
at fault. Nor does his finding himself
with nm empty coal bin with winter at
hand warrant an off-hand Judgment
against either the miners or the opera
tors. In any event, damning and exc
Grating one side or the other will not
help him or anybody else
Free and easy criticism Of public
officials who are dealing directly with
these controversies is another evil or
which complaint is made. as it mill
tates against the creation of that IN
telligent popular sentiment that mould
support those in authority. These Of
ficials are condemned for i%naction or
for whatever action they may take, and
all this without rime or reason.
Presidents Trying Position
For example. President Hardings
position with respect TO the rail and
coal strikes .is especially difficult and
trying. According to tier personal
prejudices people denounce him for ia
voring labor or capital or for ailur
TO adopt extreme measures that appeal
to the individual as highly desirable
| and efficacious. How often is the ex-
preston heard. I'D like to be in Hard
! ing's place about ~ hours-Td show
EN-" And how seldom have those who
indulge in such expressions thought
out ways and means of doing what they
| advocate or considered all the possible
consequences.
Taking over the railroads or the
mines, or making men work against
their will, or putting an end to lawless
outbreaks, are talked about as if they
were simple tasks that the president
could undertake and dispose of airy
morning between appointments with his
cabinet ministers. Settling strikes is
bv executive fiat. Using the army is
advocated as if it were a mere matter
of calling out the police reserves 10
quell a near-riot among baseball fans
Most unreasoning and unr~easonab.'
! of all. structures are passed upon tine
president that are predicated on tho
assumption that he is indifferent and
uniformed. As a matter of fact. h.
could not be Indifferent if he so desired
! and no one is in a position to be So
well informed as he is. This is not
only true Of Mr.. Harding, but it would
be true of any man who occupied the
executive chair.
Taking sides is characteristic OF
the American people. They do it in
sports. in politics, in religion and par
ticularly in labor controversies, and
there is nothing half-hearted in the
- 49, L. IJ.,- ANNOUNCED n
cause or an idea, the average man
wants the wide, wide world to know
that he is right, why be is right, and
what he thinks of the other side. He
is a free thinker and he believes and
INDUCES in free speech. He is so Ger
tain Of his own convictions and opin-
ions that he has little respect and less
tolerance for those of others.
Examples of Prejudice
A mar of great responsibilities in
the industrial world once INDUCED in
q TRADE against labor unions in gem
eral and labor leaders in particular.
He was so v~itriolic and so sweeping
in his de%nunciation that one of his
hearers finally asked him if it were
possible that there were no good men
among labor leaders. Profoundly Sc
rious and with measured words, the
captain of industry replied: The only
good Indian is a dead INDIAN
On the other hand, a man who has
been at the head Of one Of the largest
Of the labor unions declared within the
last few days that the newspapers and
press associations of the country were
in a virtual conspiracy to misrepre-
sent labor's cause to the public and
were constantly distorting the news in
farming out contract work were be-
ing just as lawless as the unions.
Its sole concern in the present sit