The Seward gateway., 1922-08-19
THE PRIORITY ISSUE

President Harding scores well when he induced both the employees and the management of the railways to recog- nize the United States Labor Board S authority under the law in dealing with transportation industrial dis putes. This was one of the two most important issues in the program for settlement of the strike. But the other the question of priority-is one that goes to the very heart of all the trouble involved in the management of a large business. If that is not set tied. and settled justly, nothing is set tied. Trouble will develop again.
 If an employe who has been advanc- ed to a place of trust as result of cap acity and dependability, leaves his en- ployment voluntarily by striking or fol other reasons, and his place is filled by advancing some other to the place particularly in the case of strike, ht should not be restored to the place al the expense of another who has prov ed loyal.
 To compromise with the striker, and force the loyal employe away, is to reward disloyalty and to penalize loya' ty.
 It may be that the loyal empioye, while, not seeking the position, was advanced to that place as matter or necessity to the operating of the plant If he showed capacity, after submit ting to the abuse of the strikers, he should be continued in the place. To set him aside merely as peace meas ure, is not only infamous but it will serve notice upon employees in future that loyalty is not appreciated-that remaining at ones post carries the risk of violence, of contempt, and of possible discharge when the strike fc settled Such thing would be certain to recoil upon the business that is t~''~ ungenerous, if it did not recoil upon the management responsible for the injustice.
 Priority rights are not vested rights. They are continent upon fidelity as we'll as ability. They should be lost in the case of strike when striking in jures the public as in the case of great public serving corporations like rail- roads and coal mines. And when men are willing to work and Keep sucn en- terprises going so as to prevent in- jury to the public, or lessen the injury to the public, such person is entitled to protection while he works and se- curity of position when the strike ends.
 There are cases where men have been asked to work during a strike only to be discharged as one of the terms of settlement Such things are infamous. An employer who will ac- cept the service of man or woman to help him carry on or protect his busi- ness during industrial trouble, and who will let that person go as a prsce of getting striking employees to return to their posts, unless he makes fair provision for the person thus removed, engages in cowardly thing if it is not an utterly dishonest thing.
 Of course the President senses the immortality of the proposal to the man agers to yield this point. He must have in mind a way of dealing justly with this affair after the other points of diff ference have been agreed upon He knows how necessary peace is at this time. But peace with that point unset tied will be short lived The question of priority is the very heart of the question. It involves the question as tC whether the management shall be witt the accredited representatives of the owners or with the union leaders whether the roads shall be operated for the benefit of the nation and be i1 constant service, or whether the road: shall always be imperiled by strikes whether the laws of the country shal govern in disputes or whether the law. of the unions shall govern.