The Washington times., 1922-07-17

union operators k&#&2Nk$&X {33
might accept the E&z$ ~
Presidents arbi- :. -
tration offer WILLIAM HARD.
der which the men In the union
mines would go back to work at
the existing union scale of wages
They possess mines in the neighbor.
hood of union mines and they fear
that II the meYr>in the union mines
were back at work earning union
wages then their own>men in nom
union mines would quit work and
go /over into union territory or
else, while remaining at work, would
strike for the union scale and
get II.
These non-union operators are q
determined influence against COM
promise with the union. In the
meantime at the other extreme
there were union coal operators last
night who were mingling with the
miners Of the policy committee Of
the United Mine Workers in Wash.
ington seeking the first feasible op-
portuniky to resume work with
union employees on union conditions
In the meantime, also, there were
strong communications reaching
Washington from the producers OF
perishable commodities
These producers are threatened with
losses amounting to hundreds OF mil
lions of dollars unless these present
existing strikes are settled verv soon
The losses in question are already be-
ginning to happen. They cannot be
brought to an end by any scheme
which would train 100000 new men
to take the places OF the present
strikers. That process would con.
sumo many months.
Agriculture went Just about bank.
rupt IN the last part of 1920 and the
first part OF 1921. The claim Is for
chilly made that II will be hurled back
agaip toward bankruptcy unless
these strikes are terminated with
great speed. 1t Is also forcibly as.
serted that the cost to the railroads
and to the coal industry Of resuming
work at the existing union scales OF
wages would he small matter in
comparison with the cost OF a contin.
uance of the strikes to the growers
OF crops. This influence Is in the
end an influence strongly toward the
making OF concessions to the unions.
The strikers. meanwhile, have
surprised themselves by their own
strength. Their leaders now he.
lieve that labor has turned the
corner out of the valley OF defeat
which II has been traversing in
many matters ever since Armistice
Day. in 1918. 1t is pointed out now
that business in general has been
revfving. and that unemployment
has been decreasing and that fewer
men are now ready to take 2ther
mems jobs.
1t is not stated, but II Is implied
that labor will now remember and
will now revenge all the alleged in.
turies and insults put upon II dur.
ing the period Immediately succeed.
ing the war-the open.shop drives.
the promiscuous charges Of "radi.
calism" and "Boishevism," the
efforts to make a discrimination be-
tween "one hundred per cent Amer
leans" on the one hand, and fol.
lowers of the labor movement on
the other. The mood OF the strikers
is one that Is compounded Of recent
ranking resentmpts and sudden
fresh surprised confidence.
Adding these forces together. the
most intimate observers Of them ex.
pect two quick future developments,
in case what they regard as the
common sense Of the situation Is
permitted to have It's way.
They expect-flrst-that large
CONCESSIONS in the matter of wages
will be publicly made or will be
privately arranged and assured to
the strikers in order to get them
back to work.
They expect-second-th com.
missions will be appointed to go
behind the subject of wage disputes
which the coal mine employees and
the railroad employees can be in.
duced to take a reasonable human
interest in the efficiency and bust.
ness welfare Of the coal and rail.
road industries.
According to the observers the
country must do some temporary
yielding to the unions, and then
must do some permanent improving
OF them. The railroad unions and
the United Mine Workers in the
course Of the interchanges OF in.
formation in Chicago and in Wash.
ington have not been albeit Is
claimed-to clear themselves of the
charge of being very negative, and
in fact very obstructive toward min.
ing efficiancy and toward railroad.
ing efficiency. 1t Is claimed that
the Government must now perma.
nently promote cooperative bust.
ness relationship between employees
and employers in mines and on rail.
roads, and II h claimed that IL the
unions refuse such a relationship
the Government will be obliged 10
regard them as public Industrial
enenfies, and will be obliged to join
with the employers in attending
utterly to destroy their power.
In either case It Is expected that
the grand result OF these strikes will,
bo the revealed necessity Of a perma.
nent national public interest in the