Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-09-03

tlOHs II IL inc unnecessary Causes
FOR unrcst--uurest which Anglers
and gropcs for any outIct-.hat Is
70 unrcason confusion
and chaos. 1t Is the duty OF think
Ing mon. in tho labor movement and
out Of II. 10 so direct hoalthy UNI
rest az to translate Il into action
or a natural. rational character to
bring about the best possible con-
ditiOn for the benefit not only OF
tho workers. hut OF all the people
for the perpetuat!on and glory OF
our republic.
Tho Course tn Have Followed.
Every necessary rcadtustmcnt
following tho abnormal period OF
tho war could have boon made by
joint negotiation between EMPLOYERS
and employees and many such read
Justmcrts have been made II en-
p!oycrs had sought to make none
but reasonable and proper rcadjust-
mcnts. and II In every case there
had been frank consultation with
tho workers. our industrial life
could have been brought forward TO
normal condition with scarcely
more than a ripple on the surface.
Tho great disturbances have been
in those Industries where employ
crs have sought arbitrarily 10 i'm
pose unjustihahle terms and cond!-
lions OF employment and where.
therefore. IL was necessary for the
workers to resist.
II. Oh tho other hand. tho workers
OF the United states had acccded
To every demand o: emp!oycrs. and
had accepted every proposed wage
reduction and ever proposed deter
!orht!on OF working conditions We
might temporarily have lad "a condi-
ton which on The surface would
appear I" hc peaceful u not pros
porous. ant Ne should have had at tho
bottom "a condition OF slavery. tho in
"vitabls result az which I'm the end
would be upheav~!s and Interruptions
NOR" violent ana more costly than
anything ". care To contemplate.
The American worI.-r has nxcd
In his mind the idea o. progress.
!, is his great determination that
there shall! be som" Improvement
With each passing day. Tomorrow
must be better than today, and the
DAY after tomorrow mus, be better
than tomorrow.
The great masses o, American
workers are fired with an ambition
mat Will not tolerate staguatIon. and
that VIII not even give thought TO
Tet3ogrcsslon. This is the grca, bless
l!ng o. our country.
No Peasant Psychology.
America has never had peas
antry. and Il has never had pro-
!etariat. 1t has never had among
its workers tho psychology result
Ing from a fixed status among large
/ classes Of people. Naturally. those
! who think IN terms o. money and
I proht have no Understanding OF
. what this means. They do not un-
dcrstand that American workers do
not mc"H!y accept autocracy- Of any
J KIND. They VIII no; DO driven. only
! those who know working people caa
{ understand.
/ This initiative. this ambition this
lack Of the psychology OF tho peas
tniry and tho proletariat is prize,
above all by those managers O! in
dustry who are progressive, whose
ideals arc democratic aud whose
FuTpose In Industry is primarily "a
purpose 10 serve. knowing fun well
thar service mus, bring its rewards
I'm profits.
II has been said by some employ
crs and by some Q! the spokesmen
OF employers that labor unions ex-
Isl for tho purpose OF tnaugurating
strikes. and that labor leaders like
10 have strikes because they would
los" their Jobs II there were no
strikes. suppose these statements
/ arc actually believed By few per
/ sons. and perhaps they are sincere
/ Is uttered by few
Nothing could he further from
Tho truth. The chief sufferers I'm
times OF strikes are tho workers
themselves. When they are with
GU, work they are inevitably with.
out wages. No workers ever go
on strike because they do not like
wages. and neither do any workers
ever 20 on strike for the purpose Of
drawing strike benefit that occa-
Si"nal!y amounts to as much as n
dollar day. and that Seldom is
paid during the entire period of the
strike.
why Workers Strike.
ORGANIZATIONS of workers resort TO
the strike only as last resort. and
only where the issues and principles
at sta c are most serious In charac-
ter When workers 20 on strike IL is
because they feel that {; IS absolute
! ly Impossible 70 accept terms OF en-
! ploym"n; offered Thorn.
So far as leaders OF labor arc oon-
cernod. md by that term Is mean,
the officers Of the unions. they have
no NOR" desire for strikes than has
the rank and file OF the ncmbershln
Tho responsibility for the conduct NJ