Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-09-12
AN IRREPREssIeLe CONFLICT,

are unfair. unwise and unendurine.
They are eXorbitant and the parties
interested in keeping them so are
trying to hedge themselves about so
as 10 maintain that exorbitant rate.
by legislation, by political influence,
by intimidation. Those who are suf-
1erlnS from this situation have now in
their hands a remedy; they can re-
fIse to patronize the robbers and
purn soft coal. But many of those
interested in maintaining this graft
or the public are also interested in
imposing it on the soft coal industry.
are in position to do as they did at
Herrin, when they murdered-or
those whom they defend-murdered
those who dared to mine coal accord
Ing to their own plans. They assume
and are not ashamed in assuming
that those men who dared mine coal
without consent Of the union deserve
death and got no more than belonged
to them. How reason with people in
chat state OF mind?
The fuel situation in this country is
drifting into an assembling of two
armies facing each other and inlam-
ed by long growing prejudices and
lcng ranking sense OF injustice, The
Philadelphia Public Ledger, quoted
in another column, discussing the
subject, The Weakness OF the Coal
Truce admirably presents the temp
orary nature Of the bargain that has
been struck out in Pennsylvania with
the third party, the public, left out of
it,
The Federal Coal Commission in its
report ikens the present controversy
to that which was settled in this
country in the bloodiest civil war the
world then had known. Here is what
the Commission has to say respecting
that feature:
The condition resembles the con-
flict between the definition in the De-
clarat!on of Independence concerning
human rights. and the then clearly
constitutional right of human slavery.
The great mass OF those arrayed upon
either side We're unwilling TO COM
promise or adjust. 1t was permitted
to go on until the agony Of fratern-
al war solved the problem. 1t is to
be hoped that We have learned wis
dom by experience"
The outbreak at Herrin, H., in
June 1922 and the more recent dis
turbanCe in the West Virginia fields
We're cited as indicative of the serious
aspect the sneral situation has taken.
The Commission reviewed the history
of both cases in detail but declined to
fix responsibility further than to say
the serious results might be attribut-
ed to the intense passions which had
been gradually fostered among the
members of the two opposing camps,
and TO the attitude Of the commune
ties involved toward law and order.
While public officials at Herrin un-
doubtedly were lax in performing
their duty, the report said, there was
no evidence that the United Mine
Workers foresaw the fatal conse-
quenCes Of the conflict between union
and operator at that place.
IF industrial peace is to be hoped
fov," the Commission said. then
some method must be found to guar
antee, as near as fallible human
judgement may, equally exact justice
10 capital, to labor and to the public
There must he one yardstick adopted
by which all controverted questions
are to be measured. Public interest
demands that certain fixed principles
shall he recognized by both capital
ana labor as this yardstick."
Declaring it would be better for the
participants themselves TO work out
the exact terms OF the code, the Com
mission set forth as fGame-Work,
the following principles:
!. No contract is of any Vand
binding force in America which has
not been freely and voluntary entered
into.
The right Of a man to work
when. where. for whom and under
what conditions and at what wage
he chooses. so long as he elects to as
sert his individual right, must never
lie interfered with and the State must
furnish him protection and peace
while he exercises this right.
s. In a free government men nave
a right to combine themselves To-
.cether into organizations for coliec-
live BARGAINING with reference TO
terms and conditions under which
they will work; they must exercise
this right without force and intimida-
ton, and must not interfere with the
right OF the man who chooses to dis
pose of his time individually.
l. Society has a right TO fix lin
itation beyond which il will not per-
nit either these de facto or de ]ure
organizations to forego.
8. There is an implied duty upon
corporations 40 pay the humblest of
ITS employees who is able bodied,
willing and competent, and who gives
an honest days work sufficient wage
TO enable that person and his family
to live in accordance with the stand
ards OF American life, and to pay in
addition thereto for skill and exper-
fence"
6. The general public has right
to demand OF It's government that 1t
shall not freeze in the midst of an
abundance of coal. Unless capital
: and labor adopt methods that will
furnish to the public coal when need
ed, IAN outraged public sentiment
will furnish the supply by either the
army or the penitentiary."
T.. When contracts have been vol
unfairly entered into the industry
itself should provide boards of arbi-
tration, both local and appellate, tc
speedily dispose of causes in accord
ance with the terms of the contract
and the principles herein set out
We are indeed a race of weaklings
4 n we are IA pery7jf the limited Nina