The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-10-12
BY JAMES p. HoRNAoAv

rotary of commerce, In discussing the
two great strikes of the summer,
called attention to the fact that the
federal laws on Cancellation have
failed TO obtain any results for
peace,
The conception Of arbitration Ii II
settlement based on mutual agreement
TO abide by the decision of third
party, but this In now refused on
principle, for the workers consider
tina. arbitration always results In COIN
promise, and that this II compromise
with their bread and butter" said he.
Thus ali the old conceptions of mu-
tunl settlement In industry have failed.
We may well preserve the old meth
dds Of peace. but NJ certainty they
must be better organized. and we need
something more that will bring posi-
tive insurance Of peace To the public.
Nor In the organization of employers
on a national bnsls the answer, for IN
such case, while collective bargaining
might proceed more smoothly, the pub
lie could wcu take alarm, because the
costs % any bargain might be passed
on 10 the consumer. Therefore. SUCH
bargaining must be controlled In the
public interest. even II II serves to
prevent stoppage.
There are great many rights that
have grown w around these Industrial
relations. NorKers have "a right 10
organize To protect and improve wnges
and conditions Of labor They have n
right TO collective bargaining. They
have right 10 strike. They have II
right Ia refuse To- Join such organlza-
lions. They have right To work
without Intimidation and assault. En-
ployers have right Ia refuse To rec
ognlze such organizations. They have
q right to lockout. They have right
to keep open shop.
Right OF the Public 10 Superior.
NO one seriously denies any OF
these rights, but a lot Of people are
overlooking superior right That
IL the right OF the public to con
tlnuous supply Of its vital necessities
and services upon terms fair To the
employer and employee. When these
various rights infringe upon the pub
lie right. then the dominant right In
public right.
Aside from employee relationships,
most Of the economic decentralization
f. the coal Industry lies In the btu
minous, as distinguished from the an
thruclte. industry. and my discussion
hereafter refers to bltumlnous alone.
This Industry. indeed functions very
badly. Some state glibly that II will
work Itself out II left alone. II must
be borne In mind that II has not been
left alone In the past and the pres
ent situation Is In large degree due to
legislative Interference. The control
IT combinations among operators,
without such restraint among en-
ployees, the rules Of artificial car dis
tribution. the state legislation Of va
rious sorts. and other acts have a
great responsibility for the present CON
ditlon. am not here questioning the
necessity Of these measures. but their
influence In the situation must not he
overlooked. and they must be either
supplemented or amended by wise pro
visions, II we are To have coal peace
Irreguiarity Of Employment
The perpetual labor difficulties are
hut one 81 the inevitable by.products
Of this poor organization. Labor is
struggling on one side 10 set up re-
Enumeration based on such days nay
and such piecework rates as will give
a standard OF living from 90 per cent
of time employed. Labor Is thus
honeycombed with the worst Of stlmu.
inuts to unrest, insecurity Of employ
ment. Al the same time. men who
have the opportunity to work full time
In regularly operating mines earn re-
turns fur above the average Income OF
our most prosperous farmers and other
workers. There can be no solution
either 10 the operators or 10 the work
ers so long ms this condition contin.
ues. Entirely beyond great nntiodal
the consequent oyerexpnnsion Of the in.
dustry. we must have n planning out
OF the intermittent irregularities and
consequent overexpanslon Of the in
dustry n we are 10 have stability.
"In addition to relief from national
stoppnge in production through strikes
and lockouts there are proposals of
constructive and practical remedies
for these irregularities which should
be investigated and which do not lead
20 Socialism and destruction Of the
American freedom and initiative. For
Instance. an extra annual storage Of
% per cent railway consumption would
eQuallze the seasonal fuctuat' on.
Larger storage Is possible by the rail-
ways at those times when public de-
mand for coal Is slack. instead of com.
petition by the railways themselves
with the public for coal. and thus for
the use Of cars. at the annual period
OF car shortage. A system Of car dis
tribution that would not Itself break